Ghosthunting
by purewanderlust
Summary: It's supposed to be Danny's fifteenth birthday, but he has just been declared dead and his family and friends are falling apart.When they discover a message hinting that he might be alive, they embark on a journey to find the truth and maybe Danny. DxS
1. Chapter One

_Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. That great honor belongs to Butch Hartman. I just write fanfics._

_Note: This takes place after "Ultimate Enemy" and "Reign Storm"_

Chapter One: Secrets Revealed

It was the hottest day of summer so far in Amity Park. But that wasn't saying much, seeing as school had only been out for two weeks. Nonetheless, the heat waves rising from the asphalt and the sun beating down on their heads had driven most people into their cool, air-conditioned houses.

The same was true for the Fenton's, but, for them, it was by no means relaxing. Maddie Fenton was curled up on an arm chair, wrapped in a blanket, despite the heat, looking like she was about to cry. Jazz sat on the sofa opposite her, biting her lip anxiously and throwing glances at the clock every few seconds. Jack wore an unusually grave expression and watched his wife, motionless.

Danny Fenton, the fourth member of the family, was not there. In fact, Danny had been missing for three months. The Amity Park search committee had finally given up and Danny was declared "deceased" only days before his fifteenth birthday.

It had been a hard blow to his parents, particularly his mother. She had been ill since that day and was no longer interested in anything, even ghosts. That made what Jazz was planning to do even more difficult for her.

The doorbell rang and Jazz jumped to her feet and crossed the room in one swift stride. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the doorknob. Even so, she grasped it firmly and swung it open, letting Sam and Tucker inside.

Danny's death had affected them too. Sam was even more withdrawn than Maddie and spoke only to Tucker and the Fenton's. Tucker had dark circles under his eyes and his face was drawn, as if he had suddenly aged ten years.

Maddie looked up at them, but turned away quickly, as if seeing them brought back memories too painful to relive. Jazz silently returned to the sofa and sat down; Sam and Tucker followed suit.

"Mom? Dad?" Jazz began "We need to tell you something…important." She glanced at Danny's two best friends; Sam looked away, but Tucker gave her an encouraging nod. Jack nodded, his eyes distant, to show that he listening.

"Do you remember the—the ghost kid," her voice wavered slightly, "That saved the town by pulling out of the ghost zone?" Jack looked at her for the first time in days, traces of curiosity lingering in his eyes, and nodded again.

"He is—he _was…_" she felt hot tears prickling in the corners of her eyes and broke off.

"Danny was the ghost boy." Sam whispered in a trembling voice. Tears slid down her cheeks, blurring her vision, but she couldn't miss the astonished looks on Jack and Maddie's faces.

A/N: Well there you have it, a short depressing chapter. Please R&R and I promise to update soon!


	2. Chapter Two

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom, although I wish I did._

A/N: Thanks to all you super reviewers, you've given me the most reviews I've ever had on one chapter! Yay!

**Pottersparky: Your are very close to right on that theory. Stay tuned to see exactly how it turns out!**

**xheartkreuzx:**** Thanks, you rock!**

**Shinigami5218:**** don't worry, I'm updating again tomorrow!**

**Mental Mess: ****Of course this is a Danny/Sam story, it wouldn't be right if it wasn't!**

**TayloWolf:**** Thanks a lot, keep reviewing!**

**Inumaru12: ****Thanks, but don't worry, you'll hear from Danny again!**

**Linkmaste:**** Updates on the way!**

**Diamond004:**** Glad you like it, this is all for the reviewers!**

**Box-lunch: ****Don't kill me, here's your update!**

**Riverfox237:**** Thanks, and don't worry, The next chapters will hopefully be longer.**

**Master of Procrastination:**** Thank you, keep on reading.**

**Pippin634: ****Depressing is my middle name!**

**Phantom Darkness:**** Wouldn't think of it!**

**SamHobbit:**** Thank you, please don't haunt me!"**

**Pup Almighty: ****Just keep reading…**

Chapter Two: The Clue

"What?" Jack asked hoarsely.

"He was half-ghost." Tucker took over as Sam broke down completely and cried in to Jazz's shoulder. "He was fighting the ghosts and sending them back to the ghost zone."

"The boomerang…" he murmured. It was silent for a moment, except for Sam's continued sobs. Then Maddie got up and went to Sam, wrapping her arms around her. Sam collapsed into her and allowed herself to be hugged for the first time in months.

"I know Danny was your best friend and keeping this secret must have made it even harder." She said quietly, "I miss him too." Sam gave her a weak, watery smile and sat up again.

"I wish Danny were back." Sam whispered. An odd pressure filled the room for a moment, but no one noticed.

"Time out!" Maddie froze just as she started to hug Sam again; Tucker was titled forward in his seat, reaching for his bag. Even the birds outside were frozen mid-flight. Clockwork, the ghost who controlled time, floated through a portal into the room. He pulled a scrap of paper and a time medallion out of his bag and tied the note to the cords. He started to place the medallion around Sam's neck, but a tugging sensation started pulling him back through the portal. He struggled against it, but the barrier was too strong. He dropped the time medallion; it fell onto Tucker's bag and was sucked back into the ghost zone. "Time In!"

The birds outside took off in fright, Maddie hugged Sam and Tucker grabbed his backpack and picked it up. The medallion fell to the floor with a loud _clunck_ and Sam pulled away from Danny's mother to see what had made the noise.

Tucker dove to the floor and retrieved it. He examined it, holding close to his face. He ran his hand over it and the dug his PDA out of his bag.

"It's one of those time medallion things." He concluded. He started to hook it up to his PDA, but Sam yanked out of his hands and untied the note from the chain. She slowly wiped the tears from her eyes and unfolded it. She read it aloud:

" 'Life is like a parade, with it's many twists and turns.

Even when one person takes a turn and is no longer visible to others,

It does not mean he has finished the parade.'"

They were all silent for a moment, pondering the depths of the riddle. Then Tucker spoke what everyone else was thinking.

"What does that mean!" Sam stared hard at the note for several more seconds before breaking into a wide grin.

"I know what it means!" she said excitedly. The others looked at her, obviously disconcerted by her sudden mood swing.

"Well?" said Jazz, becoming impatient.

"It means," continued Sam, "Danny isn't dead!"

A/N: You knew I couldn't kill Danny, right? Sorry so short--next chapter soon!


	3. Chapter Three

**cheetahs-spirit: Thanks alot! I'm glad my story isn't boring!**

**AvidReader123****: Yay! I'm not very good at riddles, but that one kinda made since.**

**the sleep warrior****: Sorry, I can't tell you that, you'll have to wait until later!**

**pottersparky****: Wow! A part two before this one's even done? That may be a possiblity...**

**slade1021****: Don't worry, chapter five is a decent length.**

**Riverfox237****: Thanks for the reviews, and replying to them is one of the most fun parts:)**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Thank you very much! Writing is my passion and I love to hear that people like it!**

**I Break For Ghosts****: Thanks for reviewing and yes, LotR is awesome!**

**Spiffy McFloogan: Yeah, i love to keep people hanging, but to be left hanging drives me crazy! **

**box-lunch****: Only time will tell...**

**diamond004****: Of course Danny's not dead, we all love him too much!**

**Inumaru12****: Thank ya for reviewing. **

**xheartkreuzx****: No, Danny es no muerto... whoa, spanglish there!**

Chapter Three: The Mission

It took a moment for he statement to sink in and when it did they all started talking at once

"Are you sure?"

"We have to find him, then!"

"What if you're wrong?" They continued in this vein for sometime. It rose to a fever pitch and Sam could barely discern one voice from another. Then...

"Quiet!" Jack shouted, apparently, for once, the only one thinking sensibly. "Give her a chance to answer, don't keep bombarding her with more questions." The other three fell silent and looked to Sam for an explanation.

"Well, it just makes sense, doesn't it?" she started, her voice slightly higher than usual. "Clockwork is responsible for Danny–he changed the future for him. If Danny were _dead _why would he bother with us? He needs us to find Danny."

"But he knows everything." Tucker pointed out. "Why couldn't he find Danny himself? Or at least talk to us in person."

"Maybe he tried." Sam suggested. "But something stopped him."

"It's possible someone is doing just that." mused Maddie. She seemed to be following the conversation extremely well for someone who didn't know all the details; she didn't even know who Clockwork was. "But they would probably be half-ghost, too."

"Why's that?" Jazz asked, exchanging a glance with Danny's two best friends. They were stepping into dangerous territory here.

"Because it would be nearly impossible to block this Clockwork from both sides of the ghost zone if you didn't have some ghost and some human in you." Maddie replied as if it were obvious. "The only problem is, I don't know of any other half-ghosts. I just now found out Danny was." she added as an afterthought.

"_Is._" Sam corrected. She gave Jazz and Tucker a guilty look. "Besides, there is another half-ghost we know about."

"Who?" Maddie questioned. There was an awkward silence.

"He calls himself Plasmius." Tucker replied unhelpfully. Maddie frowned, beginning to get frustrated. None of the kids seemed to want to answer this, for some odd reason.

"Who is he as a human?" she repeated impatiently. Sam and Tucker took a step back and looked at Jazz.

"Your turn."

"Vlad Masters." she answered sheepishly. The explosion was immediate and predictable.

"_Vlad Masters_?" she exclaimed, rounding on her husband. "I told you that man was no good, and you didn't believe me! Now he's done something to our son!" Jack quailed under her glare. They other three sat down quietly and didn't look at each other, but Tucker apparently couldn't resist saying something.

"We don't know for sure if that's true." Tucker said. Maddie gave him a murderous look. "But, then again, we don't know it isn't."

"We're going to find him, Jack!" Maddie commanded. He nodded, wanting to be agreeable.

"We're coming with you!" Sam, Jazz and Tucker said in unison. Maddie's face softened, but she shook her head nonetheless.

"It's too dangerous." she told them. Sam raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"We help Danny fight ghosts!" she said dryly. "Do you think this is anymore dangerous?"

"I can't–" she protested.

"We don't care anyway." Jazz interrupted her.

"I can take you, Jazz, but Tucker and Sam aren't--"

"They care about Danny just as much as we do!" Jazz snapped, standing up for them before they could even open their mouths. "And they've been through a lot more with him than any of the rest of us have." Sam looked over at Jazz, who had her hands planted on her hips in a stubborn fashion and felt a newfound surge of respect for Danny's older sister. She had never really liked her much before, but now she realized what a good person Jazz truly was.

"We're going." Tucker repeated. Maddie looked into all three determined faces and sighed, she knew she'd been outvoted.

"This doesn't mean you can be careless." she warned. "You must do exactly as I tell you." A somber mood settled over them as they pondered what they were about to do. Only Jack seemed to miss the seriousness of the moment.

"Come on!" he cried, apparently having gotten his ghost hunting spirit back. "To the RV!"

"You mean the Fenton Family Assault Vehicle." Maddie corrected him, with a wan smile.

"Of course I do!"

A/N: Well there you have it, another chapter down. Thanks again to all you reviewers—you rock out loud! Oh, and yes, the whole thing with Sam respecting Jazz and yadda-yadda will have something to do with the story later on, it's not just random, I promise. Until next time, au revior!


	4. Chapter Four

cheetahs-sperit: I love all the questions and I promise that they will all be answered as the story goes on, stick around and see!

slade1021: Well here's one of them, though I must say, the next one is better.

Riverfox237: The next to chapters are quite a bit longer, no worries!

GhostGirl008: Thanks for the encouragement, and of course Danny lives, we all love him!

Mina-chan AMD: Thanks a million! I'm glad my plot's good!

xheartkreuzx: And here's another!

Spiffy McFloogan: More on the way!

crazybluephantom: Thank you! Here's your update, a little late I know.

Inumaru12: Who doesn't get weird sometimes? I'm weird too!

Alex Hollin: Yes, Clockwork rocks my socks. And read on for an answer to your question.

almostinsane: Thanks, please keep reviewing!

pottersparky: You are awesome, keep reviewing and tell me if Istop staying true to the show!

box-lunch: You rock out loud too, here's your new chappie!

the sleep warrior: I promise I won't leave you in the dark! Scout's honor! (I am not a Scout, but still)

Phantom Darkness: Thanks for sticking around even though I'm a super slow updater!

You guys have gotten me the most reviews I've ever had—46! You all rock my socks and get a cookie!

Chapter Four

Vlad Masters stormed into his huge castle-like mansion, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang. He stomped down the stairs into his basement. Like the Fenton's, it was converted into a laboratory, but used for, perhaps, much more sinister means.

A large metal table against the wall was covered with beakers full of multicolored liquids, some on Bunsen burners, some emitting sparks, others giving off toxic looking gases and smokes. The entire room was meticulously clean; papers that weren't stored in the filing cabinets were stacked neatly on the corner of an expensive mahogany desk. Everything looked like it belonged, everything except a mirror hanging on the very back wall. It was a fairly ordinary one, without a frame or fogged glass. The only noticeable trait was its size. At least six feet long and three feet tall, it took up almost the entire wall. It was this Vlad strode towards, all the while muttering to himself.

"That meddling Clockwork managed to get past my barrier." He grumbled, "Not for long, but the damage he has done is irreversible." He reached the wall and flicked a light switch next to the huge mirror. Instead of turning on a light it the lab, it illuminated a small room behind the mirror. It wasn't a mirror after all; it was some sort of window.

The room on the other side of it was completely unremarkable. It was about the size of a recording booth, nearly bare, with four plain white walls. But actually, if you looked closely at these walls, they seemed to glow with a faint green light. There were no doors (that were visible) and no other windows.

In fact, the only truly unusual thing about this room was what it contained. A teenage boy, probably only about fifteen was sitting near the back wall, staring back at Vlad, unblinkingly. He tensed slightly, the only sign he even saw the millionaire. The unlikely combination of pale skin, unruly ebony hair and amazingly bright blue eyes gave him an almost ghostly appearance. He held Vlad's glance for another second before dropping his gaze.

"Hello, Daniel." Vlad said, "And, if I am correct, happy birthday?" Danny didn't respond; he didn't even look up. Feigning deafness and dumbness was his only defense, plus it seemed to really annoy Vlad, which was perfectly fine with him. The man frowned, and tried again.

"Your family is still searching for you." Nothing, this was no news to Danny, who didn't know he was legally "dead". Vlad continued, as if he didn't notice he was being ignored.

"Yes, they've figured out where you are. I believe they discovered this with the help of your friend, Samantha, is it?" That did it. Danny's head shot up, and he looked the older man straight in the eyes, a barely detectable glimmer of hope in his eyes. Vlad smirked triumphantly; it was the most rise he'd gotten out of the boy since he'd captured him.

"Of course I can't let them find you yet, so we'll have to leave." Danny slumped against the wall, then jerked away, as if it had shocked him.

"Did you actually expect to get rescued?" Vlad laughed scornfully. Danny looked back at him hopelessly and Vlad laughed again.

"It's over, Daniel." He said softly. "My plan will succeed and you'll join me, you'll see." Danny shot him a look of pure hatred, his eyes flickering green, before Vlad switched off the light, throwing him back into darkness.

A/N: Well there you have it, what exactly happened will be clarified later. But now, I have to apologize to all you super reviewers; I'm sorry this update took so long, I had no Internet access all weekend, and the only day I could've gone to the library, I had to take an ACT practice test. Again, I'm sorry and I'll try to be quicker in the future. Oh yeah, the next two chapters are quite a bit longer, I promise.


	5. Chapter Five

slade1021: I brought a longer chapter!

AvidReader123: Yes, he is and he never did find out about Clockwork in the show, but, for my purposes, he needed to know.

Kiori-Koneko: You rock! Thanks for some constructive criticism!

I Break For Ghosts: Oh, don't worry, I bought one too! LOL! But, yes, I love suspense! My second favorite literary technique!

Inumaru12: Yeah, my friends and I do stuff like that all the time. And the only reason I'm updating this late at night is because of sugar intake—I had two sodas and three candy bars!

xheartkreuzx: Just stick around to see what happens to Danny next! (cackles evilly) And thanks for reviewing!

little-n-lost: Thanks! I'm glad my story is not awful!

The Wicked Wench of the West: And the story continues!

alfea.daughter.of.elphaba.and.fiyero: Yes, yes it was. But it's over and I bring you yet another chapter!

TayloWolf: Some birthday, huh?

pottersparky: You'll find out why everything happened later, promise. And, as for evil Danny, Vlad doesn't remember it, because it happened in the future that doesn't exist anymore, see? This chapter is longer too, no worries!

the sleep warrior: Every time that I go to bed without updating, my conscience haunts me, so I don't need more! Here's your chapter!

crazybluephantom: thank you! (givesyou chapter as gift)

Riverfox237: I really don't know why they call him that either. I just call him "Phantom" cause that's what Valerie calls him on TUE. Thank you fer the review!

Mina-chan AMD: yes, curse Vlad!

Phantom Darkness: you sound like Jack! Here's your chap, calm down!

Spiffy McFloogan: Yes, Vlad is. But I really don't think about that stuff, so I don't know, interesting thought…

Chapter Five

Sam watched the dark landscape fly by outside the window of the Fenton's RV, or "Family Assault Vehicle" as Maddie so fondly called it. The huge hills and few scattered trees, twiggy saplings, were barely visible by the dim starlight, blurring as they rolled past.

In the back of the RV, Tucker snored blissfully. The vehicle was incredibly roomy; there was enough room for six people to sleep comfortably on the floor and two queen sized mattresses pulled out of the walls. Sam turned and looked at him. He was sprawled out on one of the mattresses, his mouth hanging open as he slept and Sam smiled, despite herself.

True, she was much happier than she had been in the past three months, but nonetheless she felt an uneasy aching guilt in the pit of her stomach. Not to mention how much she had missed and thought about solely about him for three months—thoughts and feelings she had explained away as grief for her best friend. As if she had read Sam's thoughts, Jazz got up and came over to sit on the seat with her and she started; she'd thought Danny's older sister had been asleep.

"What's wrong, Sam?" she asked gently. Sam looked at her earnest face and struggled to find words to express what she was feeling.

"It's just—I feel guilty."

"That you believed it when they said Danny was dead." Jazz finished knowledgably.

"How did you know?" marveled Sam. Jazz smiled sadly.

"Because I feel the same way." The statement seemed to encourage Sam and she continued.

"Do you think Danny feels abandoned?" she whispered. "I would."

"Me too." Admitted Jazz. "Like everyone gave up on you."

"So you think that's how he feels?" Sam said, feeling even more guilty than before.

"He might." Jazz conceded. "But once we find him, he'll know that wasn't true." Sam smiled halfheartedly, the knot in her stomach loosening slightly. Maddie looked back at them from the front passenger seat.

"You girls had better get some sleep." She advised. "We'll be in Wisconsin by morning." Jazz went back to her sleeping bag obediently and fell asleep almost immediately.

Sam, however, continued to stare out the window, thinking about Danny. Jazz only knew half the problem, and might have eased the guilt in her stomach, but she had done nothing for the fluttering of her heart. The last thing Sam remembered before she fell into a deep sleep was praying silently that Danny was returned safely to them.

Sam woke up the next morning, with bright sunlight shining in her face. She had slid down in her seat and curled into a ball in her sleep. She stood up and stretched, simultaneously blinking to adjust to the light. Maddie had pulled open the doors to the RV and was examining a large lethal looking weapon. She spotted Sam and brightened.

"I'm glad you're awake!" she said, brightly. "Now we can start down to the castle." Sam clambered out of the RV and was promptly handed Danny's thermos by Jack. Tucker was wearing the Ghost Gauntlets and Jazz was stowing the Specter Deflector in her bag.

"Okay, everyone listen up!" Maddie said seriously. "We're going down there to get Danny back and if I tell you to do something, do it, no questions asked, got it?" They all nodded dutifully, including Jack and she hoisted her weapon up onto her shoulder. No one mentioned the secret fear they all harbored; Danny might not be alive by now.

"Let's go!"

Vlad's castle was nearly a mile away, but all downhill, so they had plenty of time to talk. Funny thing was, no one seemed very willing to. Except Jazz.

"So…" she said, desperate to break the silence. "How did you guys do on the C.A.T.?" The C.A.T. was the career aptitude test that all freshmen took. Results had been mailed out a week after school had ended, but neither of Danny's friends cared much.

"Passed it."' Replied Sam without elaboration.

"Passed it." Tucker echoed. They lapsed back into uncomfortable silence and Jazz tried again.

"So did Danny." She said. "He got a higher score than I did."

"He did?" Sam said, surprised. Jack and Maddie still didn't know Danny had almost cheated and Sam didn't think she needed to say so. All the same, after the big deal he'd made about it, she figured he do just okay. She hadn't expected him to beat his sister; the know-it-all scholar.

Jazz simply nodded, it seemed like she didn't want to talk anymore. It was obvious why. Vlad's enormous house had just come into full view. Every step they took down the hill, the tension got thicker and thicker; the group grew quieter and quieter. At long last, they reached the castle. It towered over them and they stood in it's shadow, staring at it for a long moment.

"Well, we're not getting anywhere by just looking at it." Sam said boldly. She climbed the huge front steps and rang the doorbell. They all heard the chimes echoing through the house, but there was no answer. Sam twisted the doorknob and pushed it open; it had been unlocked. She crossed the threshold and went inside, followed by the others.

The huge mansion felt cold and empty, but they all looked around nervously, feeling like they were being watched. Without a word, they separated into groups; Sam, Jazz and Tucker, Maddie and Jack and went in different directions to search, but Sam was already getting a sinking feeling, that Danny wasn't here.

The first room the three teens searched was a bedroom; it was completely unremarkable and completely empty. They backed out of the room and continued down the hall. Farther along the found a stairwell and started down it into the darkness below.

Tucker felt along the wall and flicked on the light. They were in a basement that had once been used as a lab.

But not anymore. Beakers were smashed on the floor, liquids of different colors and composition spilled everywhere. A desk and filing cabinet had been overturned and papers littered the floor. The room looked like it had been hit by a tornado. Judging by the pandemonium, Sam could guess what had happened.

Only two things in the room were undamaged: what looked like a large mirror hanging on the far wall and a pair of metal doors, obviously a ghost portal. Jazz crossed to the portal's control panel and pressed a few buttons. A red light above the portal flashed red, denying her entry.

"I don't think Danny is here, Sam." She said.

"But it's still too dark to see." Tucker said, gesturing to the ceiling. Several of the lights had been knocked out. He spotted a light switch next to the mirror and flicked it. Sam gasped in horror as the back room lit up.

"It's a prison!" she spat in disgust. The walls of the tiny room, still glowing weakly, were covered in scorch marks and the light flickered, sparks occasionally shooting out. Green ectoplasmic goo spattered the floor and the door, which used to be invisible from inside was splintered and hanging feebly from a single hinge. Sam pushed through it, determined to find some clue to what had happened. Tucker held his PDA up to the mirror and started typing on it.

Something black caught Sam's eye and she dropped to her knees to retrieve it. It was a piece of black fabric, just like on Danny's jumpsuit. At the same time, Tucker's PDA beeped loudly.

"Those walls are made out of the same materials as the Specter Deflector." He said. Anger overwhelmed Sam and she jumped to her feet and pushed the broken door so roughly, it fell completely off the wall and went back to the outer room, clutching the fabric tightly. If Vlad had done something to Danny even worse tahn hold him captive in such a place--she didn't know what she'd do.

"Danny _was_ here." She muttered, showing Tucker and Jazz the fabric. Jazz started to speak, but a loud crash and shout from upstairs stopped her. They exchanged a glance and a scream propelled them up the stairs.

A/N: Sixty-five reviews! You peeps are the coolest! I love you reviewers! And-by the way-sorry for the long wait, the computer wouldn't let me on fanfiction for some reason, until tonight. But in payment the chapter is way longer! YAY! Next update on Sunday, hopefully, sorry in advance for the wait, but I will be out-of-town, with no computer. (tear) See ya around and please keep reviewing!


	6. Chapter Six

diamond004: Stick around and find out!

Riverfox237: Thanks, as always, for the review and Evil Danny works too.

little-n-lost: Cliffhangers are what I do best!

the sleep warrior: Here's your chapter, right on time! Enjoy!

AvidReader123: Don't worry, you'll find out in this chapter.

Spiffy McFloogan: Yeah, hopefully things will get moving from here on out.

Inumaru12: Yay! I'm glad you like it.

Mina-chan AMD: Thanks, here is the update, keep an eye out for the next.

pottersparky: No, I didn't know that it's coming out on DVD! I can't wait! But, yes I did see the new episode—I loved it! Thank you for taking time to review!

xheartkreuzx: I hope you keep with me, you rock!

queen rat gurl: Yeah, this one's a good deal shorter.

Phantom Darkness: I wouldn't want to be the cause of your insanity (though that might be fun) so here's your update!

A/N: The beginning of this chapter is not so serious; I figured it needed a little comic relief, and who better to supply it than the Box Ghost? But after that it gets serious again. By the way, since today is October 9th, that means Happy Leif Eriksson day! This chapter is your Viking present!

Chapter Six

They found Maddie in the den, pointing her gun in the face of none other than the Box Ghost, who was quaking with fear. Apparently it had been he who had screamed.

"Do not harm me!" he shouted. She looked at him; her fingers curled around the trigger. One shot and he would be gone.

"Wait!" Tucker said, "Maybe he knows where Vlad took Danny." Maddie loosened her grip on the weapon, but didn't lower it.

"The ghost boy who does not fear me?" questioned the Box Ghost. Tucker nodded. "He is no longer packaged in this prison castle of doom!"

"Thanks for that." Sam said sarcastically. "But where is he now?" The Box Ghost wasn't listening; he was examining a large cigar box on the mantle. Sam sighed and screwed off the lid of the Fenton thermos and pointed it at him. He dropped the box and glared at her.

"I'm going to count to three." She said, struggling to keep her voice level. "If you don't tell me where Danny is, I'll suck you in here!"

"Do not box me in your evil thermos!" he wailed.

"One…" she said, laying down one finger. The Box Ghost looked at her, and then at Maddie, who still had the gun trained on him.

"Two…"

"They have gone to the castle of the knight whose sword once resided in a child's pumpkin shaped box!" he exclaimed at the last possible second. He snatched up the cigar box and vanished through the wall. He reappeared only a moment later, as if he had forgotten something, shouted "Beware!" and was gone.

Just then Jack burst into the room.

"Danny's not in the kitchen." He announced, having missed the whole thing.

"What knight was he talking about?" Maddie asked, lowering her gun, now that the ghost was gone.

"The Fright Knight." Explained Tucker. "He's the spirit of Halloween."

"And he lives in the ghost zone." Sam put in. "He's evidently working for Vlad now, too. That's not really a surprise, though. He always sticking with the strongest ghost around and since Vlad has Poriah Dark's crown and ring and that battle suit of yours, I guess he is the most powerful."

"He has the battle suit?" Maddie said, beginning to get angry again. Jazz intervened before she could loose her temper again.

"But we have another problem; Vlad's ghost portal is locked up tight." She reminded them. "We'll have to go all the way back home to get into the ghost zone!" It was Sam's turn to get mad now.

"No we won't!" she said sharply. "There's not enough time for that!"

"What do propose then?" Jazz asked hotly, irritated that she had been told she was wrong. Sam turned to Tucker.

"Did you bring your PDA with you?"

"Of course I did." He replied, pulling it out of his pocket. "I couldn't leave him at home by himself!" Jazz rolled her eyes and started to tell him how unhealthy such an obsession was, but Sam cut her off; taking charge.

"Good, you need to go down to the basement and override the locks on the ghost portal." she instructed. "The rest of us need to see if there's some sort of vehicle around here that can travel in the ghost zone, like yours." She nodded to Maddie and Jack.

"And if there isn't?" Jazz asked anxiously.

"We go in without one."

Tucker typed a code into his PDA, chewing on his lower lip as he worked. The red light flashed again and he promptly started a new code. Sam and Jazz watched without much interest; Jazz because it was the twentieth code to fail and Sam because she knew he would get it eventually. Maddie had told them to stay down in the basement while she and searched for a vehicle capable of travel in the ghost zone. They had been searching the huge castle for an hour or so, all to no avail. All the weapons had been crammed into Jazz's bag and sat near the portal, ready to go.

Tucker, though, wasn't having much luck. The red light flashed again as another of his codes failed to break the locks. Jazz got to her feet and started pacing. She walked around the puddles of who-knows-what and pushed the file cabinet upright. It was dented into a different shape entirely and looked as if it had been used as a shield against something resembling a flamethrower.

She tried one of the less damaged drawers. It was locked. Almost mechanically, she crossed to the desk and began a search for the key. It wasn't all that important that she found it, but she needed something to do.

Sam, meanwhile, stared vacantly off into space, her foot jiggling with nervous energy. She twisted a strand of black hair around her fingers and waited. Tucker would get the right combo soon enough, she had no doubt in him.

Yet another code was denied and Tucker gritted his teeth in frustration and started a new one, the light giving his eyes, narrowed in concentration, an eerie crimson glow.

Jazz, her key search coming up fruitless, returned to her seat next to Sam and gave the younger girl an encouraging smile, which was not returned, the other too deep in her own thoughts.

The sound of footsteps jerked her out of her reverie and they both looked back to the door where Maddie and Jack had appeared.

"Nothing." Said Maddie, before Sam had even asked. "I guess we're going in without one. Sam sighed, she had halfheartedly hoped they had found a copy of what they had at home; all she had to direct them was a rough sketch of simple ghost zone landmarks.

"If Tucker can break the code." Jazz added, receiving a very nasty look from Tucker. He jabbed a button on his PDA irritably and a green light flashed around the room.

"Dang it!" He shouted, his temper finally getting the best of him.

"No, Tuck, you did it!" cried Sam.

"I did? I mean, I told you I could!" He pressed a button on the control panel, and shot Jazz a look as the doors slid open. She looked distraught, having been proved wrong twice in one day.

A spooky, unearthly swirling glow spilled from the opening, washing them in its light. They exchanged glances and moved toward the door. They were going into the ghost zone.

A/N: Duh duh dum! To the ghost zone they go. Anywho, please R&R, next chapter coming soon!


	7. Chapter Seven

crazybluephantom: And you rock for staying with it and reviewing!

AvidReader123: Thank ya kindly

TayloWolf: You're right, they have no idea…

IwuvMyKenshyPoo: Yes, poor Danny, not yay! (fake stearness)

Spiffy McFloogan: It's not going to be as easy as you think.

Inumaru12: Love the skit and thanks for the love of the story!

Mina-chan AMD: And now you will find out.

xheartkreuzx: Yes, I love the Box Ghost!

pottersparky: I'm glad Tucker is still Tucker!

queen rat gurl: That is one of my favorite words!

Riverfox237: Yay! Your review rocks and maybe there was something important in the cabinet…

Phantom Darkness: The best you ever read! Aww thanks!

the sleep warrior: Everyone loves the Box Ghost!

A/N: We're almost to 100 reviews! Can we make it!So now we're here, in the ghost zone at long last. It's not gonna be as easy as you thought. (Evil laughter) Beware…

Chapter Seven

Jazz closed her eyes as they stepped through the portal, bracing herself for some half-expected shock. It never came. Instead, she felt a firm surface under her feet and opened her blue-green eyes wide.

They were standing at one end of a huge stone walkway that seemed to go on indefinitely into the kaleidoscope of green haze. Below them was a bottomless pit full of suspicious-looking shadows swirling like contents in a cauldron. Instinctively, Jazz grabbed Sam's arm and squeezed it tight, like she was afraid of falling.

Jack and Maddie were also ill at ease, but they were examining their surroundings with interest rather than fear. They looked over at huge structures; castles and towers sitting atop their own private islands, floating in midair. There were also doors. Purple glowing doors of every shape, size and style, from fancy French doors to small round ones like you might find in _Lord of the Rings_ hovered all along the path and far out over the pit.

"How are we supposed to know where to go?" Jack asked, starting to feel overwhelmed. As he spoke, Jazz reached for the nearest door, a tall one with Celtic designs carved into the wood.

"Jazz, don't!" Tucker warned, but too late. She had already grabbed the doorknob and pulled it open. They all peered inside. It looked to be a perfectly average room, aside from the fact that it was a ghost's lair. An elderly ghost women with her hair twisted up in a bun sat in a rocking chair in the middle of the room, with her back to them. Judging by the click-clack of metal on metal, she was knitting. Maddie gave Tucker an odd look.

"I know you've seen many evil ghosts." She said. "But not all ghosts _are _malevolent." She stepped into the room and Sam gave Tucker an exasperated look behind her back.

"Excuse me, but can you tell us where the Fright Knight's castle is?" With incredible speed, the ghost leapt over the chair and shot at her, its wild black hair whipping loose. She had sharp shark-like teeth and blood red eyes. She opened her mouth in a haunting wail that made hair stand on end; she was a banshee.

It would have been the end of Maddie, right then, if Tucker and Sam hadn't done some quick thinking. Sam grabbed her and yanked her back to the walkway, both of them falling down in the process. Tucker slammed the door before the banshee could escape.

"Most ghosts are, though."' Sam stated, matter-of-factly, helping her to her feet. They started down the path again, Jack and Jazz becoming more nervous than ever, Tucker and Sam staying fairly calm and Maddie still positively shaking from the encounter.

Sam pulled a slightly crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. It was the map she and Tucker had been helping Danny make of the ghost zone. At the sight of Danny's barely legible scrawl, she felt a twinge of sadness. Then she did a double take, stopping dead in her tracks. This area wasn't on the map! Where were they?

She swallowed and looked up again, to tell the others, only to discover they were gone. They hadn't realized she had stopped, she was all alone.

Tucker started looking at the landscape, if you could call it that, trying to find something he recognized. Nothing.

"Is this on the map?" he asked. No answer. "Sam?" He turned around and one thought registered in his mind: Sam was gone.

"Sam's gone!" he yelped, causing the other three to jump and run back to him.

"What did you say?" asked Jack, uneasily, knowing full well what he'd said.

"She's gone!"

"What do you mean gone?" demanded Maddie. Tucker let out a sigh of exasperation.

"I mean she's not with us!"

"We have to go find her!" Jazz exclaimed, dancing anxiously on the spot. They started to retrace their steps, but a figure in a spotless white suit materialized in front of them, holding up their progress. He was tall and intimidating, with cold green eyes. His eyes flickered to Tucker them back to the small black rule book in his hands. It was Walker, the ghost zone's sheriff, of sorts. Danny, Sam and Tucker had had run-ins with him before and he was one of the last people—ghosts—the only one of the three that remained wanted to see.

"Humans in the ghost zone." He muttered, flicking through the book then closing it with a snap. "That's against the rules. You're under arrest!" Four ghost guards appeared beside him, each wearing a pair of what looked like black Ghost Gauntlets. Jack, Maddie and Jazz all backed away, but Tucker stayed where he was.

"Where is your bag, Jazz?" hissed her mother. Jazz looked horrified.

"I must've left it in Vlad's house!" The ghosts started to advance on them, and still Tucker didn't move.

"They can't touch us." He explained. "We're the ghosts here."

"That's where you're wrong, punk!" sneered Walker. The nearest ghost snatched Tucker and a scared look crossed his face.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The others put up more of a fight, but eventually, they, too, were restrained. Yet another ghost appeared, this one with a prison van and they were thrown inside, roughly and the door slammed, locking them inside.

Tucker threw himself against the wall and kicked at it, all to no effect.

"They're…not supposed… to hold us!" he panted, pounding on the doors. The ghost in the front laughed, his voice floating through the small barred window that separated them from the cab.

"Ever since that halfa escaped, Walker's been obsessed with making sure, if he ever caught him again, he couldn't get away. Now the prison is ghost and human-proof." When they reached the prison, a good while later, they were jerked out, still struggling and taken and thrown in a small cell, reinforced with the same black metal as the gauntlets and the van. The door swung shut and Tucker slid down the wall and sat on the floor, defeated.

"So now what?" Jazz murmured.

A/N: Now Danny's rescuers are captives too! Told you it wouldn't be that simple! Please keep reviewing! You guys are the coolest! Next chapter will hopefully be up by the end of the week and it will be a little longer than this one. 'Till then, Ciao!


	8. Chapter Eight

Stacey LoftonWell, he's not as hot as Danny (younger, not evil) but not bad either. Thankee for the review!

I Break For Ghosts: Of course I own a One Ring! And, just for you, I'm announcing that I have eleventy-one reviews as of now. Squee!

Inumaru12: I compliment you on having Danny as your chapter reviewer and the voices that live in my head approve of you!

cheetahs-sperit:I really don't mind the questions, but you have to read the story to get the answers! .

Riverfox237: Thanks so much and keep reviewing!

crazyvi: You rock! I am honored to be on your favorite list!

AvidReader123: I'mm glad you noticed the banshee, it's a tribute to my Irish heritage!

Phantom Darkness: Not with the threats! Here's your chapter!

CrazyCosmoFan: Yay! 100 reviews. (gives balloon) And I'll try and check those out ASAP!

Catnip070: Don't ya just love famous last words?

Mina-chan AMD: Thank you lots and please keep reading!

Spiffy McFloogan: And that's my first favorite literary technique!

Anomaly25: So happy you enjoy it!

crazybluephantom: This is a Sam chapter, you'll find out.

IwuvMyKenshyPoo: I'll let you in on a secret...The next chapter is aboutDanny and Vlad!

queen rat gurl: Are youu glad they're all captured/lost or are you just a normally happy person?

pottersparky: Thank you, keep reading to find the answers to thine questions.

the sleep warrior: Love the story, hate the cliffies, but they're are what keeps ya wanting more!

Chapter Eight

Sam continued down the stone walkway the same direction they had been headed before being separated, hoping against hope to find the others searching for her. It seemed luck was against her, though; she didn't see them anywhere.

A green specter shot past her, cackling and she jumped, her pulse racing. Being in the ghost zone with Danny and Tucker was one thing. Being alone was another: she was scared.

One of the doors, a portal to a ghost's lair, just ahead, opened up of its own accord. A moment later a ghost girl appeared and flew towards her. Sam's heart went to her throat as the ghost came to a stop in front of her, floating a few inches off the ground.

The girl looked to be about Sam's age with a face as pale as ashes and large, crimson eyes. Her hair was short, spiky and electric blue, with patches of purple color. She gave Sam a searching look, as if measuring her up, her eyes glowing like coals.

Sam involuntarily took a step backwards, a year of ghost hunting instincts screaming at her to run. She had never met a ghost with eyes like that who wasn't evil and she didn't expect that to change anytime soon.

"You're a human." It was a statement, not a question. "I saw other humans here a moment ago." Her voice was sad, with a musical lilt to it. Sam's fear diminished; her need to find the Fentons and Tucker more important than being scared.

"Where did they go?" she asked, silently praying that this ghost wouldn't react to a question the way the banshee had.

"Walker arrested them, he can do that now." Replied the ghost, seeming genuinely glad for someone to talk to. "Where they your friends?" Sam nodded distractedly; she was thinking.

"Can you take me to Walker's prison?" she queried, coming to a decision. The prison was on the map which meant they could find the Fright Knight's castle from there, once she broke the others out, of course.

"I don't know why you'd want to go there."' The girl said hesitantly. "But—I guess I could take you." She floated down the walkway, with Sam jogging behind her to keep up.

It seemed like hours had passed, and Sam began to lag, exhausted. They hadn't spoken since they set off; the ghost girl had obviously become less keen on Sam when she asked to be taken to the prison. Luckily, though, Sam had had plenty of time to look around as they walked, making notes on the uncharted part of the ghost zone. Of the prison or the Fright Knight's keep, she had seen nothing.

"Hurry up, we're almost there!" said the ghost as she dropped behind.

At long last, the prison came into view, looking more like a fortress than anything else. It was enormous, with metal walls the color of onyx and gigantic double doors. The island it sat on presented a problem; it was far off to the left of the walkway; over the bottomless pit.

"How am I supposed to get over there?" she demanded, felling slightly agitated.

"There is a hidden passage down there." The girl replied, pointing over the side of the walkway. "It was planned as a trap for the halfa, but they gave up on it and abandoned it. Now it's the fortresses only weak point.

"I have to jump into a pit with no bottom?" Sam asked nervously.

"It's not really bottomless, it just looks like it is."

Sam closed her eye and let out a shaky breath. She was terrified of heights, ever since she was little, but no one knew that, not even Danny. Her parents had taken her to a ski resort when she was six years old and she had almost fallen out of the ski lift. She had never told him, worried he would think she didn't like flying with him. That wasn't true; she wasn't afraid when she was with Danny; she trusted him with her life.

But this was a different scenario entirely, there was no Danny to save her. She was about to jump into a pit whose bottom she couldn't see and walk through places she'd never been to find and save her best friends family from a rule-obsessed ghost warden! Could her life _get_ anymore insane?

Then a thought occurred to her: If she didn't jump, she wouldn't be able to rescue Danny. It was that single thought that helped her jump over the edge, leaving the ghost girl behind.

Falling wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be. Instead of feeling like she was falling to unknown depths through midair, she felt like she was sinking gradually to the bottom of a swimming pool. She relaxed and floated slowly to the ground, landing on her feet; surprised it had taken so little time.

She looked up. The ghost girl was barely a speck, who waved and vanished.

Sam glanced across the barren landscape, looking for some clue as to where she needed to go. The ground was flat, dead and grey; it reminded her of a battlefield. A faint green fog hovered close to the ground, giving her legs a greenish tinge from the knees down. There were shadows lurking around her, flitting to and fro, but no other ghostly apparitions that she could see.

She started walking. The ghost girl obviously expected her to know the passage when she saw it, so that was the only way Sam knew to find it. After an hour of walking, according to her watch, there was no change whatsoever in the bland landscape and no sign of a passage anywhere.

Sam stopped; if she didn't rest for a minute, she wasn't going to be saving anyone. Almost immediately, the shadows starting creeping up her legs. At first, she didn't notice, but after a moment, she felt sharp pricks around her ankles, rather like being jabbed with a thousand thumbtacks all at the same time, and tiny droplets of red blood leaked through her purple tights, shining against the fabric. She jumped up and tried to fan the shadows away.

Once they were detected, the dark apparations moved much quicker. They wrapped around her, threatening to engulf her. Sam cried out in fear and pain, starting to feel suffocated.

She broke free and ran, full out. Looking back, she saw the shadows gaining, cresting like a huge black wave. She turned forward again and saw a rope ladder hanging in front of her that went out of her sight. Shadow monsters of heights? Hmm.

Sam grabbed the first rung and started to climb.

**A/N: Well there you have it! Please R&R! But first, I am so sorry about the long wait for an update. We have reached dangerous territory: The part of the story where only brief sketches of each chapter are written, not the whole chapter, so feel free to send suggestions in reviews! Also, I have a lot on my plate right now, what with school and drama and violin lessons andvolunteer work. Plus, I want this story to be good, not just cobbled together junk. So there will probably be a little more time between updates, but not as much as between this chapter and the last, so please be patient with me, I'm working on it with every spare second.**

**PS: You guys rock my socks; we areto eleventy-one (111)reviews! Yay! Please keep reviewing, I love feedback!**


	9. Chapter Nine

I **Break For Ghosts****: Don't worry, she'll get some help--wait and see in chapter ten!**

**Stacey Lofton****: Yes, random ghost passerby number one. And no! Danny is so hotter than Robin!**

**DannysGirlForever****: I'm glad you lilke it. Just stick with me and I promiseit'll be worth it.**

**CrazyCosmoFan****: Wait and see...**

**queen rat gurl****:Cool. Thankees for the review!**

**Riverfox237****: Yeah,I though we needed a friendly ghost. (provided by Stacey Lofton) And thank you for being so patient!**

**crazyvi****: Great idea! I'musing it in the next chapter!Hugs!**

**pottersparky****: Thanks alot and I'll see about doing that!**

**xheartkreuzx****: I'm so glad you're sticking with me, queen of late updaters!**

**AvidReader123****: Thanksfor reviewing and here' s that update.**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: In the universe?Including all the aliens out there?**

**the sleep warrior****: Bass rocks! And any ideas of what you think couldhappen in future chaps would be a great help.**

**Mina-chan AMD****:Thanks so much for having patience with me! You're awesome!**  
**  
A/N: Yo, what's up and in general, hello! I'm sorry this took so long—I was out of town all weekend. But now I'm back and armed with another chapter! Yay! This chapter is a good deal shorter, but it's from Danny's POV, so it's all better! Hopefully the next chap will be longer, but it's only just started, if you've got any input, I'd love to hear it. Please R&R!**

Chapter Nine

When Danny came to, he was lying on the floor of what looked like a prison cell, with black metal walls and a tiny barred window in the door, feeling very disoriented. After a moment, everything came rushing back and he sighed.

The moment Vlad had opened the door, back in his lab, Danny had gone ghost and shot out in a frantic bid for freedom. Unfortunately, he was no match for Plasmius, especially in his weakened state. Danny vaguely recalled a fairly one sided battle that wreaked havoc in Vlad's lab before the fifteen year-old had blacked out.

He remembered nothing after that, not what had happened or where he had been taken. The latter was the most pressing question in his mind at the moment. He was positive that it wasn't Vlad's house; most likely the ghost zone, he figured. There was a simple test for that. Danny pressed his hands hard against the cold walls, but he didn't phase through. If this was the ghost zone, Vlad had figured out how to trap humans here too.

But maybe, if it wasn't the ghost zone, he could turn ghost and escape. Not likely, but worth a shot.

"Going ghost!" he murmured, out of sheer habit, his voice hoarse from disuse. Nothing happened, now he couldn't even go ghost!

Danny slid down the length of the wall to the floor, feeling utterly defeated. If he hadn't been so gullible, so stupid, none of this would have ever happened in the first place.

A few months ago, when he was still at home, with his family and friends, Danny had started feeling horribly guilty about everything that had ensued in the week before the C.A.T. It bothered him immensely that he could have become the most evil ghost in existence and he had felt some sort of weird guilt for actions that he had never committed or would commit. He had spent weeks feeling this way, wallowing in the future-slash-present things that had gone on.

So when Plasmius claimed to have obtained the thermos containing Dark Danny, the younger Danny had fallen right into a trap. He had decided without really thinking about it to go and get the thermos from Plasmius. Sam had begged him not to go, but he had remained adamant. Now he realized she had been one-hundred percent right.

Danny wasn't sure what Vlad was planning, but he would bet his life it wasn't anything good. He hoped it wouldn't involve hurting his family or Tucker and Sam.

Sam. He wondered where she was right then. Hopefully somewhere safe, with the rest of his friends and family. How was he to know she was somewhere in the ghost zone climbing a weak rope ladder to escape murderous shadow creatures and save his family? His musings were interrupted by voices and he got up and silently crept to the small window and peered out.

The first thing he saw was Plasmius, standing in front of a tall glass cylinder-thing, wearing a smirk so cocky it should be illegal. He noticed the Fright Knight hovering close by and stained his ears to hear what they were saying.

"…Arrested all the Fentons and a friend and put them in a high-security cell." Relayed the Knight. Danny bit his lip; so they were in the ghost zone. And by the sounds of it, Walker had somehow managed to capture his family who had followed them.

"Perfect!" Plasmius exclaimed, clearly unaware that Danny was listening, or even conscious.

"How do you plan to kill them if they're locked up in that prison?" asked the Knight sensibly. Plasmius scowled at him and he quieted.

"I'll simplify their escape and then kill them—except Maddie, of course." He turned to look at the door to Danny's cell, and Danny ducked out of sight for a moment; he didn't want Vlad knowing he was hearing everything. Unlike the other ghosts Danny had battled, Vlad was the only one who didn't always shout his motives to the sky; this might be the only chance Danny had to figure out what he was up to.

"I won't kill Daniel, either." Plasmius told the Fright Knight. "He will end up joining me."

Danny took a chance and peered out the window again. Plasmius wasn't looking in his direction anymore, but he had moved away from the glass cylinder and Danny felt all the color drain out of his face at what he was seeing. It wasn't the cylinder that Danny was staring at in horror, but what it contained.

Floating suspended in green ectoplasmic goo was Danny Phantom! He was missing half of himself! Plasmius looked over at the stunned boys face and laughed. He vanished into thin air, along with the Fright Knight, leaving Danny alone in the dark with himself.

**A/N: Done! Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. Please keep reviewing!**


	10. Chapter Ten

**A/N: Okay, I'm gonna explain the last chapter as best I can without ruining what's coming up. I had at least one person confused by who was in the glass cylinder. That was fifteen year-old Danny Phantom, he was separated from his human half, like in TUE, but I made Danny Phantom unconscious and Danny Fenton in the POV. I can't tell you where Dark Danny is though, just that Danny did think Vlad had him (in the thermos) and now he thinks it was just a trick and Vlad doesn't have the thermos. I can't tell you anymore than that, sorry if I confused anyone! Now, onto replies...**

**Inumaru12****: Ahh! I don't want you to have to lilsten to Tucker anymore so here's your chappie!**

**Riverfox237****: Expect the unexpected...**

**I Break For Ghosts****:Well, you did say please...so here it is!**

**queen rat gurl****:Now that's the kind of reaction I like!**

**pottersparky****:Vlad can hardly help being an idiot! **

**DannysGirlForever****:Danny phantom, bringing siblings togethersince2004. (Or something like that!)**

**Mina-chan AMD****:Thanks for being a faithful reviewer, now prepare to see what happened to Sam!**

**Zirra Nova****:Yeah, it would suck to beeither of them at this point.**

**xheartkreuzx****:Thanks and here's a longer chapter!**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****:Yay cliffhangers!Thank you for the review and newly understood hotness of Billy Joe!**

**crazyvi****: I'm glad you love this story, but read the top of the A/N for info on the cylinder thing.**

**AvidReader123****:Wow! Now that's what I call positive renforcement!**

**the sleep warrior****:I LOVE Curse of the Rosin Eating Zombies! We sight-read it last year and I'm trying to get my orchestra teacher to let us play it for the fall concert this year!**

Chapter Ten

Sam gasped for breath, her lungs were screaming for more oxygen. She was near the top of the rope ladder, but she didn't dare to stop, afraid that if she did, the shadow creatures would pull her back down to the depths.

The ladder swung wildly, as if blown by a sudden gust of wind and, against her better judgment, Sam looked down. The shadows had finally gained enough confidence to start swirling up the ladder at twice the speed that she was going.

She climbed as fast as she possibly could, gripping each rung tighter than the last as the swinging ladder jolted shoots of pain through her aching arms.

The ladder twitched again and Sam lost her footing and kicked uselessly at thin air, trying to find a rung to put her feet on. She looked up; she was only about an arms length away from an opening in the bottom of the island, but just far enough that she couldn't reach it. She felt pinpricks of pain and realized the shadows were tugging on her feet.

The ladder beneath her twisted violently and she struggled to hold on and tried to kick away the shadow creatures at the same time. She felt her grip slackening and willed herself not to look down.

A final jerk shook the ladder so badly that Sam lost her grip completely and started to fall. A hand shot out from the opening and grabbed her wrist. Sam opened her eyes as she was pulled through the hole and a metal grate was slammed shut on the creatures.

Sam climbed slowly to her feet relieved to be standing on solid ground once more. It was too dark to see her surroundings, or her rescuer, who was just a dark shape. The person flicked on a bright flashlight and Sam shielded her eyes, adjusting to the sudden lighting change. Now that she could see, Sam realized they were standing in a long dark hallway that looked like it belonged underground.

"Sam?" asked the rescuer. "Are you alright?" Sam recognized that voice and lowered her arm.

"Valerie!" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Sure enough, there was Valerie, wearing her red jumpsuit with the hood pulled back to reveal her dark hair and green-blue eyes.

"I followed you here." Valerie answered casually. "I found out that Mr. Masters tricked me, that he was a half-ghost and so I followed you here. But when you got separated from the Fentons, I followed them here and I was hiding down here when I saw you down in the Barren lands."

"What does Vlad Masters have to do with anything?" Sam asked cautiously. She had no intention of letting Valerie know Danny's secret: Valerie was a ghost hunter with a particular grudge against Danny Phantom.

"He was the one who gave me all my ghost hunting equipment." She replied, gesturing to the hover board and backpack full of weapons lying propped up against the wall. "He told me the ghost boy was trying to destroy Amity Park--but now I know that was all a lie!"

"Because the ghost boy saved the town?" asked Sam hopefully. Valerie frowned and crossed her arms.

"Cut the crap, Sam." She said bluntly. "I know Danny's the ghost boy." Sam opened her mouth to object, but Valerie cut her off. "Don't bother denying it, because I heard you say it with your own mouth."

"So, you won't try to hurt Danny anymore?" Sam said dubiously. Valerie smiled.

"Oh course I won't!" she exclaimed. "He's the only person who acted decent to me after I became unpopular."

"Yeah, sorry about that…" Sam began, but Valerie interrupted her.

"It's okay, I understand completely now why you and Tucker were so protective of him." Valerie told her. "Now come on, we've got people to save!" She pulled two ecto-guns out of her bag and handed Sam one before donning her backpack.

They both jumped onto the hover board and sped down the dark hallway, Valerie switching her flashlight to a dimmer mode.

"You have a plan?" Sam asked, keeping her balance remarkably well for her first time.

"Nope." Replied Valerie offhandedly. "But we'll figure something out."

They flew around the corner to face a heavy metal door that looked like it could withstand a tornado. Valerie came to a halt in front of it and cocked her gun, listening. Then she turned to Sam.

"Okay, this door leads in the prison, just down the hall from where the Fentons and Tucker are." She said in a half-whisper. "Are you ready?" Sam grinned and cocked her gun in response.

"Let's go!" Valerie stomped on a red panel on the hover board, jolting them to turbo speed. The momentum shot them into the door, knocking it clean off the hinges. "Hey, it actually worked!"

"I've always said looks can be deceiving." Sam laughed. A red light started to flash and sirens started to wail, mixed with a voice shouting: "Alert! Alert! Break in!"

Instantly, a wall of ghostly guards surrounded the two teenage girls. The guards all pointed their nightsticks at them and shot green energy beams from them. Valerie took the board up, out of their reach and the blasts hit each other. Some rebounded on their masters, binding them in glowing green cords and knocking them to the floor.

The remaining guards rushed to block the door. Valerie shot a pink energy blast from the ecto-gun and they scattered, opening up the way for Sam and Valerie. They hurtled down the narrow fluorescent-lit hallway without meeting anyone to stop them. Nevertheless, the alarm was still shrieking, adding to the weird feel.

"Uh…I know I shouldn't say it." Murmured Sam, "But doesn't this seem…too easy?"

They sped around the corner and spotted the cell containing the Fentons (and Tucker). They were almost to the door when Walker appeared out of nowhere, blocking their path. He was wearing the black Gauntlets and a sinister grin.

"Two more for prison." He said. "Because breaking in…that's against the rules." Valerie skidded to a halt and tried to back the hover board up, but Walker was too quick. He grabbed it and jerked it from underneath them and tossing it away as if it were made of air. Valerie dropped to the floor in front of him, her gun skittering across the floor, out of her reach. Walker picked it up and crushed it to dust.

Sam flew off the hover board and smashed into the wall. She slid to the floor and sat up slowly, white dots exploding in front of her eyes. She blinked rapidly and her vision cleared. Walker was trying to catch Valerie who was darting out of his reach, but still attempting to grab her bag, which had fallen onto the floor behind him. Sam's ecto-gun was lying on the floor, just a few feet away. She reached for it, but Walker spotted her and shot a green energy blast at her, knocking her against the wall again.

This gave Valerie all the distraction she needed. She snatched her bag and was just pulling out what looked like a white, plastic ball when Walker jerked her off the floor entirely, her feet dangling inches from the ground. She didn't struggle at all.

"A child's toy is supposed to help you?" he laughed. Valerie dropped the ball at his feet.

"It's not a toy.' She panted. "It's a grenade." The grenade exploded, shooting ectoplasmic goo everywhere and throwing Walker and Valerie in opposite directions. Sam caught Valerie before she hit the floor and they both clambered to their feet, wiping the goo out of their eyes.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked. Valerie nodded and they ran for the door and stared up at it. "How're we supposed to get in there?" Sam asked anxiously. She noticed that Walker was gone and knew that he would return soon with reinforcements. "And we need to hurry." Valerie pressed a button on her belt and the hover board shot out of the corner and she jumped aboard, pulling Sam with her.

"Same way we broke in here." She stepped on the panel again and they crashed into door at full speed. As with the other door, it fell inwards, neatly off the hinges and four befuddled faces appeared in the doorway, taking in the vision of two teenage girls on a hover board, covered in green goo.

"Valerie?" asked Tucker, starting to look even more confused. Sam gave him a look that said clearly _I'll tell you later,_ and shook her head. Valerie grinned and tossed him a weapon. She passed them out to the others and they climbed onto the hover board uncertainly.

They spun around to a sea of grinning ghost guards blocking the way. Maddie was the first to react. She fired expertly into the mob and they started backing off. Sam grabbed Jazz, who was about to fall, and Valerie shot ahead at full speed, knocking those who didn't move out of the way. As soon as they'd passed by, though, the ghosts closed in behind them and gave chase.

"There'll be more ahead!" Tucker warned. "We'll be trapped!"

"There's always a way out." Valerie returned, giving him a reckless grin. They sped around the corner, and there were, just as Tucker had predicted, even more guards ahead, to cut them off.

"Hold on!" advised Valerie. Metal straps went over everyone's feet, holding them firmly to the board. They were nearly to the guards when, suddenly, they shot straight up the wall, at a ninety degree angle. Tucker grabbed Sam's shoulders as if he expected to fall, even with his feet secured. They shot over the wall and Walker appeared again, at the bottom and swore loudly as they escaped.

As soon as the board righted itself again, they all burst into giddy laughter. It was the kind of laughter you have after you do something incredibly dangerous and stupid and survive. (Like breaking into a ghost prison and breaking back out with four more people.)


	11. Chapter Eleven

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, guys. Loads to do. And sorry that this chapter is so short, originally it was combined with the beginning of chapter twelve, but I couldn't resist cutting it short to make a cliffhanger. dodges rotten fruit that is being thrown I know, I know! But I'll make it up to you. You all get extra Halloween candy and chapter twelve will be longer than this, I promise! So, onward we go!**

GoingGhost: I didn't write it, but the same as in TUE.

Zirra Nova: Isn't that how all dangerous endevors go? And yes, email alerts on the way!

IwuvMyKenshyPoo: You might've mentioned it once or twice...

pottersparky: Yeah, I have a hard time writing Jack, he's too funny and, dare I say it, dumb, for a serious story. But I'll try harder.

I Break For Ghosts: Neither do I, but he needs one.

Spiffy McFloogan: Hey, glad you had time to review at all, thought you might be too busy writting those darn cliffies!

Inumaru12: Hey! I don't want him! What if he gets loose and starts singing again!

AvidReader123: I'm glad it fits.

crazyvi: Glad to be of assistance.

DannysGirlForever: Thanks for the complement!

the sleep warrior: Good luck with screrm auditions!

Riverfox237: Oh, I love Dark Danny--technically the whole movie "The Incredibles" is a rip-off of the old Fantastic Four comics. But oh well!

CrazyCosmoFan: Thanks very much.

xheartkreuzx: even "wow" worthy? I feel honored.

Mina-chan AMD: I'm pleased that you lilke the Valerie addition. And they're gonna need her help...

Chapter Eleven

"The Fright Knight's castle is just northwest of Walker's prison." Sam told Valerie, pointing it out on the scribbled map that she had helped Danny put together.

"That means we're almost there!" cheered Tucker. The others took heart at this and their faces brightened slightly. All six of them were sitting comfortably on the hover board; with the help of Tucker's PDA, Valerie had been able to expand its size a good deal. Jazz was sitting behind Tucker, next to her parents; Jack was closest to the back end.

Sam was sitting near the front, between Tucker and Valerie, her legs dangling off the side. Valerie cast her a concerned look and charted their destination into the autopilot before sitting down next to her.

"Everything alright, Sam?" she asked quietly. "You should cheer up, we're nearly there." Sam shrugged noncommittally and stared vacantly off into space, so Valerie tried again.

"Are you still worried about Danny?" she questioned wisely. Sam's eyes sparkled in the near-darkness.

"What if Vlad's done something to him?" answered Sam, talking more to herself than to Valerie. "Or worse, what if he wasn't lying when he…" she stopped short, realizing that she was talking out loud.

"Lying about what?" Valerie wondered, confused. Sam swallowed. Other than Tucker, no one knew that Danny had left because of Dark Danny. In fact, nobody other than Jazz and Tucker even knew about Dark Danny.

"Um…" she stuttered. They were all looking at her know. And, even if she didn't tell them, they were bound to find out sooner or later--_if_ Vlad had somehow obtained the thermos.

All the same, Sam still felt like she was betraying Danny's trust. He been really torn up over the whole issue, that she knew. She would bet he wouldn't want them to hear about this. But, if their lives were hanging on it, which they possibly were, he would want her to warn them.

"What's the matter, Sam?" asked Maddie in a gentle voice. All the color started to drain out of the goth girl's face, but it wasn't Maddie she was watching in apparent horror.

Jack figured it out first and whipped around. A purple ghost ray shot straight at him and he ducked, instinctively. Plasmius cursed loudly as his shot missed Jack and instead hit his daughter. Jazz screamed as she flew off the hover board.

Tucker was the closest to her and he fell flat on his stomach and stuck his hand over the edge just quickly enough to grab the black sleeve of her sweater. He struggled, trying to pull her back up and simultaneously hold on so that he didn't fall himself.

There was a ripping sound and Jazz's sleeve started to unravel. Tucker released his hold on the hover board and grabbed her wrist with both hands. Unfortunately, he slipped over the edge too, and he and Jazz both started to fall.

"Jazz!" yelped Maddie.

"Tucker!" Sam shouted. Jack grabbed Maddie, who looked like she was going to jump after the two teens just as a second ghost ray hit the hover board.

A shower of white sparks spewed from it and a red light on the front starting flashing in warning.

"No, no, no!" wailed Valerie, pressing buttons frantically, trying, in vain, to keep the hover board airborne. All to no avail. The board lurched violently and threw them off and they all tumbled down, screaming, towards the depths of the ghost zone.

Plasmius shot past them, headed for the Fright Knight's castle. He could only hope the crash would kill Jack Fenton.

Sam was more terrified by what she had seen moments earlier than by this falling. It wasn't Plasmius floating there that had had her gaping in horror. Clutched in his hand was a dented white and green cylinder that looked oddly like a Fenton Thermos.

**A/N: See, told you it was short. But never fear, the next chapter will hopefully be a good deal longer. (Although it may take a while to finish.) Sorry for the long wait, but please keep reviewing.**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**slade1021****: Perfectly understandable, I know what's it's like to be busy.**

**Riverfox237****: Yeah, Danny told her and I know what you mean: I waaaaaaaay over analyze time-travel stuff. Clockwork does ROCK, though!**

**AvidReader123****: Thanks alot and please keep reviewing!**

**crazyvi****: I'm really glad you like it, stick around, another chapter will be coming soon!**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Here's the update, but I'm afraid this chapter doesn't answer your question. You'll just have to wait and see!**

**tigermon****: As you might've guessed, I like making the story suspenseful, so I'm glad you enjoy it!**

**GoingGhost****: I just can't help myself!**

**I Break For Ghosts****: I had fresh hot soup for dinner, even without the Fenton Thermos, so HA!**

**xheartkreuzx****: YAY! Thanks very much!**

**the sleep warrior****: Yes, because I love the cliffhangers, but there's actually not one at the end of this chapter.**

**DannysGirlForever****: Glad to hear that you'll read to the end! Keep reviewing!**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: I have to leave cliffhangers, just doing my civic duty.**

**Inumaru12****: Hey, we were the same things for Halloween, except my cape was black! How cool is that? Please keep reviewing!**

**pottersparky****: Don't worry, the story will have a resolution, I promise!**

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm sorry, once more, for the long gap between chapters. We're slowly coming closer to the end. (Coming closer means no more than five more chapter, I believe.) Please stick with me and I promise to see you through to the end.**

Chapter Twelve

Maddie forced herself into a dive and shot down towards the ground even faster. She grabbed Tucker, who was still clutching Jazz's arm as if it would save him and Sam around the waist and pressed a button on her belt. A parachute opened, connected to her jumpsuit and the four of them floated gently to the ground. Jack and Valerie landed next to them, both having their own parachutes.

"Well, that was far less painful than I expected it to be." Tucker commented. Sam grabbed him by the forearm and jerked him out of the way as the hover board crashed to the ground where he had been standing seconds earlier.

"Don't say that again."

"Okay." He said meekly. Valerie crouched next to the crashed machine and examined the wiring.

"I bet we could fix this." She murmured. "With Tucker's PDA, it should be no problem."

"How long is _that_ going to take?" Sam asked, starting to feel frustrated. "We don't have all the time in the world, you know!"

"Sam, calm down." Jazz said in a soothing voice. "We'll make it to Danny, I promise."

"Yeah, it won't take Tucker and me long to repair this." Valerie intoned bracingly. "Will be outta here in no time."

Sam plopped down on the ground with a soft sigh. She didn't want to resign to this waiting. Jazz sat down next to her and watched Valerie fiddling with fuses for a moment before speaking.

"What where you telling Valerie before we crashed." She asked quietly. Sam answered the question with one of her own.

"Do you remember Danny's future ghost?" Jazz didn't see what this had to do with anything, but she didn't want to press the goth girl, so she decided to play along.

"Dark Danny?" she said, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice. Sam raised her eyebrows. "It's just what I call him." Jazz added hastily.

"Yes, well, I think Vlad has him." Sam said in a low voice. Jazz let out her breath through her teeth in a hiss.

"Are you sure?" she asked, worried. Sam nodded grimly. 'That can't be good."

"I know."

"We need to tell my parents, they aren't prepared to fight a ghost that strong."

"No one is." Jazz sighed and clambered to her feet, helping Sam up too.

"Mom? Dad?" The two adults turned to face them. 'We have to tell you something." Maddie seemed to see the concern in the girls' eyes.

"What's the matter?" she asked. Jazz looked over to Sam, who launched into a full explanation of all the ghost activity that had gone on previous to the C.A.T., including Dark Danny, as Jazz called him, and his relationship to Danny and about the death they had all never nearly faced.

"What does all that have to do with what's going on right now?" questioned Jack, nonplussed. Grasping the concept of time-travel is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

"Vlad has the thermos with Dark Danny in it." Sam explained. "And if he releases him…'"

She let the sentence hang. Judging by the looks on both their faces, they both understood well enough without her finishing. There was a long silence.

"We just can't let him release that ghost then, can we?" Valerie said, breaking the silence. "It's that simple." Sam jumped and turned around; Tucker and Valerie had stopped working to listen to the conversation. Tucker looked aghast, but Valerie seemed confidant.

"You know what?" Maddie said, beaming at her. "Valerie is absolutely right!"

"Let's get this hover board finished." Suggested Tucker, dropping to his knees next to it.

"You might want to hurry with that!" Sam exclaimed, looking over her shoulder. Her reasoning became apparent to the others when they turned around.

Shadow creatures, like the ones that had attacked Sam before were swarming towards them. Maddie and Jack whipped out the weapons Valerie had giving them and began blasting the apparitions.

"Get that board fixed quickly!" Sam yelled. She fired her weapon and the shot hit home in a particularly large shadow. He wailed in a horrible, high, screechy voice before exploding into wisps of smoke and vanishing.

"We're on it!" Tucker shouted. Valerie connected the wires as fast as her trembling fingers would allow and tucker fused them back together, using his PDA. A shadow lunged at them and wrapped around Valerie's wrist. Jazz spun around and shot the thing with a blast of ectoplasm and starting firing in a wide circle around Valerie and Tucker, allowing them to hurriedly finish their restoration of the vehicle.

As Tucker wielded the last two fuses together, the hover board lit up and floated up to about waist height. Valerie jumped aboard, followed by Tucker and Jazz. The shadows broke against it and it shook under them. Valerie took them up out of the creatures' reach and swung around, searching for the others.

"Where are they!" Jazz cried, scanning the black, churning mass for the other three.

"There!" said Tucker, pointing. Three lone humans stood where he pointed, surrounded by a wall of black shadows, shooting frantically in an attempt to keep from being attacked. Every time they managed to take out one shadow, another appeared to take its place.

Valerie swooped down over them, until the hover board was about six feet off the ground, just out of the reach of the bloodthirsty creatures. She leaned down and grabbed Maddie's hand and hoisted her aboard first, then Sam. Last, all five of them pulled Jack on and took off into the air, yet again.

"And this is the sort of thing that happens to you guys everyday, when you're with Danny?" Maddie asked disbelievingly. Sam and Tucker nodded and she shook her head in exasperation.

"I really need to be paying attention to what my son does in his free time!"

**A/N: Alright, there you have it! The next chapter may or may not be up sometime this weekend; since _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ is coming out on Friday, I don't know if I'll have time to type up another chapter. So I am adding another story to my Oneshot Cinema tonight too. It's called "The Phantom of Casper** **High" and its DxS! You can R&R that if you want! **


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**crazyvi****: Thank you very much! This one's even better--it has FLASHBACKS!**

**Clockworks Assistant****: Cool! Thanks and I like your name!**

**pottersparky****: I'm so glad you're still sticking with me! In fact, your comments inspired me to add this extra chapter.**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: Glad you like it. Did you see GoF? Like it?I did!**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: The update is here!**

**Jessica01****: The shadow creatures are ghosts of my own invention and how Sam and Valerie saved everyone is explained in the earlier chapters. Thanks for reviewing!**

**EvilRobotZombieLoofaOverlord****: Even if you don't like it, thanks for reviewing and expressing your feelings on the matter. I take advice seriously and I'll try and work on making this more compelling.**

**Riverfox237****: Thank you for the review and, hey, guess what? Your cabient hunch is answered in this chapter!**

**DannysGirlForever****: That was the intention, kinda was thinking of what my mom would say!**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Thanks alot and please keep reviewing!**

**Spiffy McFloogan****: Thank you for taking out time to review, even though you were busy with your own story (which is awesome, by the way.)!**

**Alucard Hemlock****: Another chapter is finally here!**

**AvidReader123****: I'm glad you thought is was funny. Hope you get to see the GoF movie soon/enjoy it!**

**the sleep warrior****: Yeah, but there's a sorta minor-cliffie in this chapter. Hehe.**

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving guys! Hope you're having a good one. The original chapter thirteen was done last Saturday, but I decided to put a brand new chapter before it, to give more depth to the story through flashbacks of Sam and Vlad-- I hope that explains the long wait. Again Happy Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie to all! (Flashbacks are in _italics._)**

Chapter Thirteen

As they flew away from the churning shadows, Sam found herself, once again, falling into deep thought. The discovery of Dark Danny disturbed her, even more because Jack, Maddie and Valerie were taking it so flippantly. They really had no idea of the ghost's true power. Even Sam, if she'd realized it, had never seen the full power of Dark Danny. She felt like it was her fault that they were even in this situation; maybe if she had convinced Danny not to go, Vlad would've just forgotten the whole thing...

_Danny, Sam and Tucker were sitting in the living room at Danny's house. The mail had just come; a couple bills, a card announcing the Fenton's had won an all-expense-paid trip to the Florida Keys_ _and a letter to Maddie from her sister._

_The only mail that concerned the teens, however, was a pale manila envelope with the name _Daniel Fenton _written in bold, elaborate handwriting on the front and with a seal reading_ V.M. _over the flap_

"_Well," said Tucker, breaking the silence. "'Aren't you gonna read it?" Danny slowly broke the seal and pulled out the single note and unfolded it. He stared at it for a moment and then looked up._

"_It says that he has the thermos." Danny said, softly. His face was almost as white as it was when he was in ghost mode. "I have to go get it."_

"_What thermos?" Tucker asked stupidly, looking between Danny and Sam's worried expressions in confusion._

"_The one with the evil Danny from the future in it." Sam replied in a low voice. Tucker's eyes widened in shock._

"_How'd he get it?" he said. "I thought Clockwork was keeping it safe."_

"_I dunno." Danny answered slowly, still looking at the letter in disbelief. "But I can't let him open it. I have to go get it from him."_

"_Danny, no!" exclaimed Sam, looking up at his determined face. "What if it's a trap?"_

"_I still have to go." he returned. "He has no clue what'll happen if he opens that thermos."_

"_He might not even have the thermos!" Tucker joined in. "Since when has Vlad Plasmius been Mr. Honesty?"_

"_But if he does!" persisted Danny. "That would be even worse than a trap."_

"_Please," Sam whispered. "Don't go. I have a really bad feeling about this..."_

But Danny had been determined. That was the last time she had seen him, nearly four months ago. Now she understood Danny's point. Since she knew for sure that Vlad had the thermos, she was determined to make sure it wasn't opened. If it was…well, she didn't want to think about that possibility just now.

"Sam." whispered Jazz, breaking through her thoughts. "Look." Sam's eyes followed Jazz's outstretched arm to the castle in the distance. It was the Fright Knight's keep. They were almost there.

Vlad flew through the window into the room where the glass tube holding fifteen-year old Danny Phantom and the cell holding fifteen-year old Danny _Fenton_ were held captive. The Fright Knight was pacing back and forth, apparently agitated. The reason became clear almost immediately.

"Let me out!" yelled Danny from his cell. There was loud banging and crashing as he kicked the door furiously.

"How long has he been doing that?" Vlad asked, amused. The Knight grimaced as there was another loud _bang_.

"Every moment since you departed."

Vlad laughed and sat the thermos containing Dark Danny on the table. Just then, Danny decided to stand up and start rattling the window bars. He stopped short and looked at Vlad, then down at the thermos. All the color drained from his face.

"How'd you get that?" he demanded hoarsely.

"Does it really matter, Daniel?" the other returned. Danny slid down out of sight without replying, but the look on his face had said it all.

Actually, even Vlad himself had been surprised at how well his plan had gone. Stealing the thermos had been so easy…

_Plasmius crept silently into the huge ghostly clock tower, looking around for anyone who might be watching him. There was no one. He floated over the threshold and instantly, two ghosts leapt out of the shadows behind him. They were from two different time periods; the larger of the two was obviously from medieval times, he carried a mace and a quiver full of arrows. The second ghost looked to be from a Viking tribe, wearing a traditional helmet with ox horns on it. He had an abnormally large sword and spear._

_The Viking lunged at Plasmius, swinging his sword. The blade barely missed him as he flew back, crashing into the other. The medieval ghost slammed his mace down on Plasmius' head. White dots exploded in front of his eyes and he shook his head. Enough of this!_

_Plasmius withdrew the Ring of Poriah Dark from a pocket and placed it on his right hand ring finger. He shot a purple ghost ray at the Viking and it hit its mark. The Viking howled with rage and pain before it exploded in a lick of purple flames. The ring had increased Vlad's power by nearly tenfold!_

_The medieval ghost met the same fate. So much for Clockwork's guards. Plasmius slowly approached the round looking-glass that held the futures of all human and ghost kind. Vlad watched, enthralled, as Danny fell to the ground outside the Nasty Burger and it exploded. The picture changed and Plasmius saw the ghost that he had come for terrorizing a much older Valerie Grey before the picture blacked out and was replaced with Danny's new future, the one that had been born when Danny defeated his evil alter-ego._

_Plasmius turned away in disgust. Ten years later and still trying to be a do-gooder? He couldn't have that. And what better way to change the future than with the future? _

_Plasmius crossed to a pair of heavy metal double doors, at least twenty feet tall. Locked. Oh, sugar cookie! He sighed and changed back to his human form, casually walked through the door, retrieved the thermos, and walked out. Being halfa certainly had its advantages. He transformed back to ghost and flew away, thinking of the next step in his plan._

After that, it had been simple. He had stowed the thermos in a filing cabinet in his basement (A/N: There you go, Riverfox237!) and written a letter to young Daniel explaining what he had done. Given, the battle Danny had fought when he arrived was surprising, but Plasmius had managed to defeat him and hold him prisoner. Blocking Clockwork from escaping the ghost zone had been a little more difficult…

_Plasmius returned to the clock tower with more caution than the first time he had gone. With good reason. The tower's keeper, Clockwork, was home this time. He had intended it this way, but nevertheless, this ghost was fairly powerful. He'd have to be careful._

_Again, Plasmius placed the Ring on his right ring finger and shot a shield around the entire clock tower. Clockwork appeared in an upper window and blasted the barrier with his Time Staff. It didn't give, but Plasmius felt a shock of electric energy shooting up his spine, draining his power. Clockwork flew down out of sight and Plasmius moved slowly closer to the tower, to see what the old man was up to. Clockwork was in front of the looking-glass. With a furtive look at Vlad, he flew straight into it, carrying two Time Medallions._

_The picture changed and he was reaching towards Daniel's friends, intending to place the medallions around their necks and pull them out if the time-space continuum momentarily. Plasmius couldn't have that. He concentrated his energy again and another shield shot from his hands and straight through the first one. It followed Clockwork into the glass and jerked him out. Vlad saw the ghost drop one of the medallions onto Tucker's backpack before he was ripped back through to the ghost zone, but he was using enough energy as it was, without attempting to retrieve the medallion too. The shield melded around the looking-glass, blocking Clockwork from any escape._

_Plasmius grinned evilly, flying off towards his own ghost portal. It would be only a matter of time before the Fenton's came knocking on his front door, and he wanted to be sure he wasn't there to receive them. Maybe they had found out sooner than he had wanted, but no matter. His plan was foolproof. It would work anyway. _

Plasmius smirked and gave the Fright Knight his instructions. The Knight bowed obediently and flew off to do as he was commanded. All that was left now was to wait.

**A/N: Ah-ha! I LOVE writing flashbacks! They're just so much fun! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter; next one should be up by the end of the week at the latest! Please R&R!**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Riverfox237****: It's okay, I was busy too and took forever with this chappie, so we're even. :)**

**GoingGhost****: You answered your own question!**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: Thanks for the compliment and I agree, for the record. I would watch a five hour movie.**

**DannysGirlForever****: How could someone dislike flashbacks?**

**Jessica01****: Thank you for the short, but complimentary review.**

**the sleep warrior****: Hope you like this one. It's kinda short...**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Yup. Vlad does occasionally tell the truth.**

**xheartkreuzx****: Yayness!**

**Inumaru12****: I actually did know that, thanks to History Jepordy. **

**pottersparky****: Esentially, Danny (both Dannys) in this story are reacting like Danny did when he flew through the Ghost Catcher in What You Want. (is that the write name?)**

**Alucard Hemlock****: I'm glad. I worked hard on that part.**

**crazyvi****: Sorry the update took so long. **

**AvidReader123****: YAY FLASHBACKS! GoF was pretty okayish.**

**Ghostcougar****: You will warn me if it starts getting worse, right? .**

**A/N: Alright here's the next chapter, this is where the fun stuff begins! Aren't you excited? Sorry that I said this would be up on Friday, so much was going on this weekend and then one thing led to another and I ended up ushering and helping with stage crew for the school musical, FAME, and so I had no time to type this up. My apologies.**

Chapter Fourteen

As with Vlad's house, the group fell silent as they came under the shadow of the Fright Knight's castle. Sam's face was grim, she was terrified, but her need to get Danny back overrode her fear. Tucker was concerned; Danny's parents and Valerie didn't seem at all worried by the possibility of the release of the most deadly ghost ever, and they needed to be.

They all looked up at the place and shivered involuntarily. Lightning crashed around the purple towers, and thunder rumbled in the background. Sam could almost hear the spooky music that would fit in perfectly with this scene.

Valerie's hover board shuddered slightly as they came over the island, and simultaneously, everyone felt a tingling sensation.

"What was that?" Jazz asked worriedly.

"Probably nothing good." reflected Sam.

"Well, we're here." Valerie said softly, breaking the silence. "So whatever it was, it doesn't matter now." She expertly landed the hover board just outside the castle and, as soon as they had all climbed off, it folded neatly into her boots. They all stood there for a moment before starting forward. Sam caught a glance of high stained-glass windows and a vast archway before she was face down in the dirt.

"What're you doing?" she demanded of Tucker, who had pulled her to the ground. He looked up, and she followed his example. A ghost archer was framed in one of the windows, scowling, his arrows having only just missed their mark. Then the others were on the ground too; apparently there were more archers.

For half of a second, Sam thought the arrows might not hurt them, being ghost arrows. But then, one came whizzing down and stuck in the earth, inches from her. She reached out and pulled it loose. It was oh too real. She was willing to bet _that_ would explain the prickly feeling.

"We have to move, or they'll hit us!" ordered Maddie. They jumped up and ran for it as a shower of arrows came down where they had just been. Jazz was the first to reach the safety of the castle, then Tucker, Valerie, Sam, Maddie and, last of all, Jack.

"Inside, hurry!" exclaimed Jack, jerking the door open hurriedly. They all made it inside; thankfully, none of them seemed to be hurt. Sam watched as Tucker shakily withdrew an arrow from the top of his beret, realizing how close that one had come.

After they caught their breath, they had a chance to look around. They were in what looked like an entrance hall; there was a thick red rug on the floor and a long spiraling stair that seemed to be held up by nothing more than the top and bottom steps. It was obvious that this was the way they would need to go. Without speaking, the group began to climb the stairs. Sam was just beginning to feel vertigo when the first pendulum swung down, just one step in front of her.

It was a bladed pendulum. Startled, she backpedaled right into Tucker who crashed into Jazz, who knocked down her mother, who fell into Valerie who tripped and was caught by Jack, who stopped the domino effect. After righting themselves, they stared at the pendulums; yes, there was another one every few steps in silence for a moment before Tucker burst out:

"Now how are we supposed to get up there!" Jazz put up a hand to silence him and observed the blades for a moment. She moved her lips silently, counting the steps and seconds. She went up further, so she was standing level with Sam and counted four seconds, and then hurried up three steps. A pendulum swung one step behind her, and another one step in front of her, but she was safe. She turned around to face the others, careful not to move off her step.

"See? If we time it right, we can get to the top safely." she encouraged them.

"Alright." instructed Maddie. "Everyone line up behind me. Jazz, you tell us when to go."

They obediently lined up behind her: Maddie, Sam, Tucker, Valerie, and Jack. Jazz counted four seconds.

"Now!" she shouted. She ran up three steps and Maddie did the same.

"Now!"' Jazz repeated. She ran up three steps, Maddie ran up three steps and Sam joined the process, running up three steps too.

After what seemed like a long time, Jazz reached the landing. A few moments later, so did Maddie, then Sam. Finally, all six of them were crammed into the narrow space, the pendulums swinging behind them.

There was only a single door on the landing, with a skull-shaped doorknob. Sam was sure it would, be locked, that they would have to go back down and find another way, but it turned easily enough in her hand and she pushed it open.

The door led into a hallway, with another door at the other end. Suits of armor lined both walls, making it uncomfortably narrow. Each suit held a torch in its left hand, with a strange purple, flickering flame.

Jazz took an uncertain step into the room, followed by Sam and then the others. As soon as Jack had crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut of its own accord, the _bang_ echoing in the hall. They spun around, startled. Maddie tried to open the door, but it was locked from the outside.

"Maybe the other door is unlocked." suggested Tucker, moving towards it.

"Just what he wants us to think." Sam muttered pessimistically. And she was right. Before Tucker had even taken four steps, spikes had extended from the walls and they were closing in on them.

They started to run. Tucker was halfway there when a trapdoor opened up in the floor against the door. He stopped.

"Tucker, you have to go down it!" Sam shouted. He jumped into the hole. Jazz followed, closing her eyes before she stepped over the edge. Valerie was right behind her.

By the time Maddie and Sam had pushed Jack into the tunnel, Sam could feel to cold metal spikes starting to poke against her arms and shoved Maddie into gasping hole. She jumped after her just as the walls snapped together, throwing her into complete darkness.

After a few feet, the tunnel started to slant so that it was more of a slide than a fall. Sam could here the voices of the others ahead of her and wondered how long the tunnel was. She flew around a sharp turn and dropped about six feet to the floor. She had reached the bottom, but it was almost as dark as inside the tunnel had been. And she had no idea where she was.

**A/N: Mwhahahahahahahahaha! Now that this is up, I get to go see the opening daymidnight showing of "Narnia"! So excited, am I. Please R&R!**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Writer's-BlockDP****: I complain when other people do it too, but I can't help also doing it.**

**Ghostcougar****: Between you and me, it's not my favorite either, but it had to be written.**

**pottersparky****: Of course, you didn't expect it to be easy, did you?**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: Have you seen Narnia yet? wasn't it good?I saw it twice. .**

**crazyvi****: Yeah, I never really said it outright, but the shuddering of the hover board before they came over the island was Vlad's lovely little barrier that makes humans and ghosts in danger here.**

**GoingGhost****: Movie was great, cliffhanger was fun to write (evil smirk)**

**Spiffy McFloogan****: Thanks for the review. I hope you get to see Narnia, it's awesome!**

**xheartkreuzx****: Why, thank you very much!**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Next update soon, hopefully a good and long chapter.**

**DannysGirlForever****: I hope you like exponietial chapters too, 'cause that's what this one is.**

**the sleep warrior****: Oh I'm soo glad you liked the traps, I worked on that bit for a good while.**

**Apolla360****: Talented? Thanks alot:)**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: Heheh. I like traps...**

**Inumaru12****: Thanks, and a Happy Christmas to you also!**

**AvidReader123****: I'm working on that right now...chapter sixteen, you'll see.**

**Riverfox237****: Ya, I heart archery, so that's why that piece is in there. Glad you enjoyed!**

**A/N: Okay, right now I am REALLY ticked off. If you have read the chapter summary for the next new episode of Danny Phantom, "Flirting with Disaster", you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, I'll put it here for your benefit, straight from is back, with a new plan to beam himself up to a super satellite and take over the world, and he's going to use Axion Labs to do it. As Danny Phantom battles Technus, Danny Fenton begins battling his feelings for Valerie, whose dad is back in charge at Axion. Sam and Tucker are surprised when Danny confesses he's thinking of asking Valerie to go steady. Unfortunately, as Technus puts his plan into action at Axion Labs, Valerie realizes her role as ghost hunter is putting her family and friends in danger. Can romance work between two kids with secret identities, or will the ghost boy and the ghost hunter end up breaking each others' hearts?**

**So you can see why I'm angry. No, beyond angry. I very deeply and truly hope this does not end up this way or I...I don't know what I'll do. Anyway, read on for the chapter...**

Chapter Fifteen

"You have to listen to me!" Danny shouted, the silent treatment of the last three months forgotten. "Last time…" He trailed off. Plasmius looked up, noticing the sudden silence. He had been trying to ignore the teenager, without effect, for the past hour and a half. So he might as well answer him now.

"Last time?" he sneered. "That ghost was never real, thanks to you." How it could be in the thermos when it didn't exist, he didn't entirely understand. But it was good enough that he was there, in Vlad's book.

"That doesn't mean he wouldn't do exactly the same thing that he will do if he had existed and you are letting him out." Danny countered. They were both quiet for a moment, trying to absorb the statement.

"What _does_ that mean?" Plasmius demanded.

"Uh….I really don't know." Danny admitted, confused by his own logic. "But you still can't release it!"

"I can, Daniel." answered the other halfa. "And I will." He turned away and Danny kicked the door of his cell angrily. Sharp pain shot through his toes, only making him angrier as he slid back down to the floor. He fell silent, the dreadful feeling of helplessness washing over him. All his friends and family were as good as dead because he was too stupid to realize a trap when he saw one. Sam had caught it.

Danny cursed under his breath; he had promised himself he wouldn't think about _her_. But he couldn't help it; he was more troubled for her sake than any of the others. He had to admit it now, or else he never would; he was in love with Sam Manson, he had been since he had met her. Now she was practically dead because of him. He had to do something! Vlad couldn't possibly get away with this! _Could he?_

A shiver ran through the fifteen year-old as he realized that Vlad very well could, no, most likely would, succeed this time. But that all depended on whether or not he released Dark Danny. Danny knew he had no chance of controlling such a powerful ghost and took a grim pleasure in the thought that the multi-millionaire would probably die with his victims.

_Not you, though._ Responded a nasty little voice in the back of his mind. _Dark Danny will keep you living--he needs you. You'll have to be responsible for the deaths of your friends and family for a second time. Only, this time, there's no reversing it, you know._

"Shut up!" Danny mumbled to himself. His unvoiced fears quieted, but he understood that they were still there. He buried his head in his hands and pulled his knees up to his chest, trying vainly to think of a way out of this.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, completely still, when he heard voices again. Slowly, he stood up a peered out his window. The Fright Knight had returned.

"They've made it inside the castle." he was saying. "There are six of them, though."

An angry scowl appeared on Plasmius' face. "Six? I thought it was only his parents and two friends?" The Knight shook his head, but bowed respectfully, all the same.

"No. The halfa's sister and Amity Park's ghost hunter are with them." He paused as Vlad swore loudly, looking a bit anxious. "They have advanced weaponry." Plasmius swore again, then fell silent, trying to control himself.

_What is Valerie doing here?_ Danny wondered before Vlad broke into his thoughts again.

"Very well." he said, after a moment. "Kill them all, except Maddie and the idiot in the orange jumpsuit. I don't care how badly wounded Jack is, so long as he's alive. As for Maddie…" his face grew hard and cold. "If a single hair on her head is harmed…" he let the sentence hang. You didn't have to be a genius to know what would happen if those orders weren't obeyed.

Then, his eyes narrowed. "Do you think you can handle this?" he asked menacingly. The Knight assured him that it would be dealt with accordingly, the fear on his face obvious.

Danny felt his heart leap to his throat at the conversation. Plasmius turned and looked at him, an evil grin crossing his pale features, his pointing teeth glinting.

"No." he said, turning back to the Knight. "Don't kill the girl, Samantha, either. Make sure she gets here the same as Jack." Danny made a furious noise and Plasmius came to the door, his face very close to the bars. The smug expression on his visage was polar opposite to the absolute rage in Danny's. He laughed softly.

"You should've listened to me when I first gave you the chance to join me." he whispered. "Now it's too late"

With that he turned away, back to whatever he was doing, and the Fright Knight vanished, Danny's last drops of hope vanishing with him.

**A/N:This chapter was just not being very nice. I've spent the past few days wrestling with it, trying to pull it together so I could put it up before Christmas. It was rather short, but hopefully not too bad. I promise better chapters will come after "break" is over. (It's not really a break for me, more like a marathon. ) It isn't my best work, but I hope you still enjoyed it! Next chapter will be up by Third January, at the earliest. It may be later, depending on how long it takes to get back into the swing of things. Please R&R this chappie in the mean time. (Your reviews can be my birthday present--I turned sixteen today!) 'Till then, Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year!**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**My Eternal Facade****: Wow, thanks. What a flattering review.**

**Writer's-BlockDP****: You think the cliffies so far have been bad? (cackles evilly)**

**GoingGhost****: Yes indeed, very angry Danny.**

**Frodo01228****: Wait 'n see...**

**Inumaru12****: Happy new year to you too! Thanks for the cake...and...Vlad.**

**Ghostcougar****: True, Valerie is WAY better than stupid Paulina.**

**crazyvi****: HA! I'm early!**

**pottersparky****: Thank you again and again. You rock!**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: Exactly how I feel.**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: HAppy birthday tomorrow! And cheer up, surely it'll all turn out for DxS.**

**Riverfox237****: Many good points there that but I still have two that I hold on to: 1) I will forever be a DxS shipper. 2) TV is meant to be an escape from reality and stuff...except dumb reality shows. But anyway, youu made a good pooint and I agree on some of it. .**

**the sleep warrior****: Just don't haunt MY sleep after you read this chapter...**

**Spiffy McFloogan****: Hehe...he...**

**TayloWolf****: Thanks and I hate Vlad too! (Well only sorta, haha.)**

A/N: Here's the next chapter; I know it's kinda short but hopefully putting it up earlier than expected makes it even. We're probably drawing to a close with this fic. After it's done, I'm starting two more Danny Phantom fanfics called _Meet My Family_ and _Blessing and Curse_, both of which will be updated alternately. The summaries are on my profile page. 

Chapter Sixteen

Sam started to climb to her feet and cried out involuntarily as pain shot through her ankle. She felt Maddie hurry to her side.

"Sam, are you okay?" she sounded concerned.

"I'm fine." Sam lied. "Just twisted my ankle." She expected to adjust to the darkness quickly, but it seemed blacker than the darkest midnight. "Where are we?" she wondered aloud.

"We'll find out soon enough." Valerie's voice assured her from the corner. It sounded like she was rummaging through her bag. A bright light clicked on and Sam's eyes watered at the sudden intensity of the flashlight. She closed her eyes for a second, red dots floating on the inside of her eyelids before she decided it was safe to peek.

Sure enough, when she opened them, she had gotten used to the light and could see the room. It was a high-ceilinged dungeon-type place, with cold dirt floors and stone walls. A heavy wooden door lay at the other end of the room, but none of them dared move towards it. Obviously, they were all recalling the fall they'd just taken.

"Well, we aren't going to know if this is a trap too, unless we try it." Jack said suddenly, breaking the silence. Maddie nodded in silent agreement and watched calmly as Jack went to the door. No traps sprung up, or down, for that matter, but the door was locked.

"That's not good." Jazz decided. The words were scarcely out of her mouth when a mass of ghosts, including the Fright Knight, materialized in the room, in a huge circle around them. "That's beyond not good!"

Sam had a moment to register that the sword the Knight was holding was one she hadn't ever seen before; definitely not the Soul Shredder, which struck her as odd. Then one of the other ghosts lunged at her.

She staggered backwards, out of sheer reaction, knowing that the ghosts could hurt her on this island, but the Fright Knight grabbed the ghost by the head and jerked him into the air, where he hung; limp, like a rag doll.

"I told you, she's not to be killed!" he raged, flinging the ghost aside. It was then that she realized there was a struggle going on. The ghosts were attacking the others, except, it seemed, Maddie and Jack. Sam looked up and saw the Fright Knight reaching out to grab her. She tried get away, but in the crowded room, with an injured leg, that seemed impossible. And she was positively certain that she didn't want to be captured.

Valerie fired a shot from her ecto-blaster at the Fright Knight, and he turned away from Sam and started towards her. She fired again, but accidentally hit one of the skeleton army instead, blowing him into a million pieces. Another jumped on her back and she whacked it with the butt of her gun. Yet another one wrenched her legs out from under her and she fell painfully to the floor. Luckily, she managed to knock its head off with a well-placed kick before it slit her throat. There were too many of them and there was no way six humans could hope to beat them all.

Two more ghosts came at her, one with a bat and the other carrying an axe. A blow from the bat hit her in the ribs and she dropped to the floor again, gasping for breath, completely winded. The second ghost intended to hack her head off, but she managed to roll out of the way just in time.

"Somebody, help!" she cried, dodging another blow. An intense white light came from nowhere and both the ghosts, and several others near them, were sucked into the Fenton thermos.

"It's amazing how many murderous ghost skeletons can fit into this thing." Tucker said conversationally as he helped her to her feet.

"I thought all your stuff got left in Vlad's house." she said, astonished and grateful that this was untrue.

"Almost all." he corrected. "Sam handed this to me before we came to the ghost zone and I just hung onto it."

"Wait!" Valerie exclaimed excitedly, remembering. "I've got one of those in my bag! We might be able to beat them!"

"Great! But where's your bag?" She scanned the room; it was in complete pandemonium--what with ghost rays and ecto-blasts shooting through the air. Still, she spotted her backpack; lying, discarded in the far corner of the room.

"I'll need your help to get me over there." she told him after pointing out the small purple bag. He pressed the button on the thermos and sucked several more ghosts inside, nodding. But they had barely taken two steps when Jazz's shrill scream floated over from the opposite side of the room. The two fourteen year-olds exchanged a panicked glance and Jazz screamed again.

"Go help Jazz, I'll manage!" Valerie shouted, tossing him the ecto-blaster--her last weapon besides the thermos, which was in her backpack. She dropped to her knees and began to crawl as Tucker vanished into the crowd of bone-ghosts. She wove carefully in and out between the boney legs of the ghosts, praying she wouldn't attract their attention. At long last, she got the wall and snatched up her bag. She was digging frantically in it for the thermos when the Fright Knight crept up behind her, holding his sword high above his head.

Valerie was so busy searching that she didn't notice him until he was directly behind her. She backed up against the wall and shrieked, wishing in vain that she hadn't given her ecto-blaster to Tucker.

**A/N: That is, quite possibly my meanest cliffhanger yet! (I dunno why that pleases me so.) But anyway, R&R as usual, but answer this question in the review: What should happen to Valerie? I'm moderately certain of her fate, but I'm curious of your opinions and input. And I'll make a deal with you too: Please don't kill me for the cliffie and the next chapter will be up sooner!**


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**pottersparky****: Thanks for the review as well as the recommendation!**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Glad to hear from you again! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Riverfox237****: Thanks for the review and especially the bday present! .**

**sammanson****: What a great compliement! Thankee!**

**Ghostcougar****: But nasty cliffies are fun!**

**Spiffy McFloogan****: I prefer fic-Valerie too!**

**Galateagirl****: Don't have a heart attack, here's the chapter!**

**Writer's-BlockDP****: So you brought me to life for not putting a cliffie!**

**My Eternal Facade****: Thanks for the input, sorry 'bout the late update!**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: Wow long review. Thanks soooo much for the HP info! SPLEE!**

**the sleep warrior****: I only updated tonight 'cause I knew youo would haunt my sleep if I didn't get a move on.**

**Jessica01****: Yes, yes he does.**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo****: Revenge is sweet, but...**

**TayloWolf****: Thanks for reviewin' anyway!**

**Frodo01228****: We like fantasy for the Hapily Ever After, right?**

**crazyvi****: What's thatin the sky? A bird, a plane?...No! It's an UPDATE!**

**A/N: Hello again, sorry the update took sooooo long; I had to do bloody semester finals at school and I've been spending all my free time studying. (Not to mention being grounded from the computer for a week.) But, now that finals are done, normalcy shall return and updates will be up quicker. I'm hoping to have this story done by Valentine's Day at least, but I'm not sure. More info on that later. 'Till then, read the chapter!**

Chapter Seventeen

The Fright Knight's sword swung down and, instinctively, Valerie jerked away. Unfortunately, she was backed up against the wall, which didn't give her much room for maneuvering. She wasn't dead, and that was good, but her left shoulder was injured, which made her lose what was left of her balance. Stumbling, she smacked into the wall again and slumped to the floor. She could feel the warm blood trickling down her arm with every painful throb. And he was raising his sword again.

Valerie knew she was a goner, if she didn't find that thermos immediately. She shoved her good hand into the bag again and dug down until she felt the cold metal under her fingers. But it was too late.

A white beam of light blasted the Fright Knight and he was sucked into Tucker's thermos. The four or five remaining ghosts fled in a panic. He dropped it and rushed over to her.

"Valerie! Are you okay!" he asked, dropping to his knees next to her. She heard hurried footsteps and then the others were all surrounding her. They blurred together to create a many-headed entity and she giggled.

"Tucker?" she slurred. "Your head looks funny."

"We need to stop her bleeding." Jazz said, ripping the sleeve off her sweater. Maddie expertly wrapped it, bandage-style, around Valerie's arm, sling like, and tying it securely at her shoulder. Slowly, the room came back into sharper focus.

"Are you okay, honey?" questioned Maddie anxiously. She nodded weakly and looked up at Tucker.

"You saved me." she murmured. "Thanks."

Tucker blushed. "It was no problem."

"I hate to be the one to ruin this potentially touchy-feely moment, but if we don't get out of this dungeon, there will be problems." Sam said lightly. She held her hand out to Valerie. "Do you think you can stand?"

"I can try." Valerie replied, grabbing Sam's wrist. At the same time, Sam shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Unluckily, she'd forgotten she had an wounded ankle and so when Valerie grabbed her hand, the combined weight sent both girls tumbling to the floor.

"Ow!" yelped Sam, tears springing to her eyes as she felt her ankle twist again. She brushed them away angrily and tried to climb to her feet, but Maddie stopped her.

"I'm so sorry, Sam!" she apologized. "I forgot you ankle was hurt. Let me look at it."

So Sam obediently sat still and allowed Maddie to feel her ankle, biting back a whimper when Maddie tried to bend her ankle. The older woman's face looked grave as she examined it. Then, she sat back and sighed deeply.

"It's broken." she notified the others. "There's no way she could walk on this without a splint."

"Maybe we could make one out of whatever we can scrounge up." suggested Jazz helpfully.

"Or we could leave these two here," Maddie gestured at Sam and Valerie, "until we get back with Danny."

Sam's eyes flamed and she sat bolt upright. "You aren't leaving us here!" she protested. "After we've come this far."

"She's right Maddie." Jack said, unexpectedly standing up for the girls as Maddie opened her mouth to argue. "Besides, if we left them here and some ghosts came back, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves."

"You're right." Maddie answered, but still concerned. "But they'll be in trouble with us too."

"Let's just find stuff to make Sam a splint." Jazz suggested. She stood up and walked around the dungeon room, looking for makeshift-splint material. After a few minutes of searching, she returned, carrying two ghost axes that had, apparently, not been sucked into the thermos. One had a missing head.

"I got the head of this one.' Jazz said, holding it up. "But I need help to get this one loose." Maddie and Jack each took and end of the axe and pulled. The head popped off easily in Jack's hands.

Maddie handed Jazz the handle and smiled. "Now kids, don't ever do that." she said "This was an emergency." Sam rolled her eyes.

After a few minutes, Jazz had a fairly decent do-it-yourself splint, made from the axe handles and tied with Jazz's other sleeve and Sam's right sock, wrapped tightly around Sam's broken right ankle. She took Sam's arm and helped her slowly to her feet. Sam swayed on the spot for a moment, before getting her balance.

"Ta-da!" Sam joked, trying to reassure Maddie that she was fit enough to keep going. Jazz was helping Valerie up, which was much easier because Val's shoulder was not bleeding nearly as badly as it had been and then they were ready to go.

"Right." said Sam through gritted teeth. "Let's go find Danny!"

**A/N: Done! I know it's a bit short, but writers' block hit me just after I got computer privileges back. Bleh. Oh well, next chappie ASAP! 162 days 'till PotC 2: Dead Man's Chest!**


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**dante hunter****: Thanks for reviewing, here chapter 18!**

**pottersparky****: Yeah, if it isn't obvious, I'm also a TxV fan.**

**GoGoJirachi****: Thank you for reviewing, and I did know he had a name, I just prefered to use what they called him in TUE.**

**Riverfox237****: superhugesmile Glad you enjoyed it.**

**DanPhantom****: Yes, I am counting the days--111 days, by the way! And, yeah, Flirting with Disaster was okay, but I missed the new episode last night, which is a major bummer.**

**Stacey Lofton****: Hey, well, at least you're honest. Wait, was that chocolate? runs after chocolate**

**GoingGhost****: eating chocolate Sorry, 'bout your writer's block. Want some chocolate?**

**Spiffy McFloogan****: I KNOW! Stupid, horrible people!**

**Dance of the Soul****: No, I didn't know I was on your fave list, but thanks; I'm honored. And I will definately sign anything that could possibly save this show.**

**Inumaru12****: Gracias. shares chocolate**

**the sleep warrior****: Yeah, I'm not overly fond of killing characters.**

**I Brake For Ghosts****: The fighting only gets worse from here...mwhaha...**

**crazyvi****: Danny? What you seek'tis in this chapter.**

**Mina-chan AMD****: Yup, Jazz is totally smart like that.**

**Crazy Billie Joe Loving Fre...****: Thank you! I put that in 'cause it seemed like something my mom would say.**

**Frodo01228****: So you have wished it, so shall it be...**

**A/N: I know this is very late, but it's almost to the end, promise! This is a kinda short chapter, but another one will be up soon. Please R&R!**

Chapter Eighteen

Plasmius paced back and forth, becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. "Where is that fool!" he mumbled to himself.

"Did it ever occur to you that he might've got his butt kicked?" said Danny obnoxiously, intent on annoying Vlad as much as possible before the inevitable happened. Vlad stopped long enough to scowl in his direction and then resumed his pacing, grinding his teeth, irritated.

"I mean," Danny continued, as if unaware of how badly he was getting on his enemy's nerves. "My parents are ghost hunters and the Fright Knight is a bit of an idiot…"

"Yes, well, if anyone knew that, it would be another idiot." sneered Plasmius, his pointed teeth glittering in the greenish light.

"Oh, like me?" returned Danny, acting offended. "Like I haven't heard that one a million times." He kicked randomly at the door, as if this time--the thousand, one hundred and fifty-ninth time--it would come down. Of course it didn't.

A thick silence fell over them. Plasmius went back to pacing and Danny went back to kicking the door and rattling the bars. Vlad paused and gave him a look.

"Daniel, I'll give you one last chance." he said. "Join me and I'll free you right now."

"Don't think so." Danny answered, giving the door a particularly hard kick. "You see, I hate bitter old single losers, so it wouldn't work very well." The ghost gave him a withering look and started to the door. But it burst open before he could reach it. Danny's family had arrived.

"Ooh, you look threatening." mocked Plasmius. Danny was afraid he would have to agree; the group looked as if they had been throughWorld War Threesince he had last seen them. Jazz's sleeves were torn off, Tucker's hat had a huge arrow-hole in it, Valerie's arm was wrapped up in a bloodstained sling and Sam appeared to be wobbling on a broken ankle. Not to mention the cuts and bruises they all seemed to have. They didn't look like they would be able last five seconds against the ghost.

Maddie just glowered and pulled her ecto-blaster on him. Her maternal instincts appeared to be screaming for Vlad Master's immediate destruction. Nobody kidnaps Maddie Fenton's baby. He just simply shielded himself from the blast.

"Now, Maddie, is that necessary?" He shot a ghost ray at Jack, who barely made it out of the way in time. The shot rebounded off the wall and all around the room. It headed for Sam, who fell to the floor, trying to dodge it. Valerie helped her shakily to her feet.

"Sam!" Danny yelped from behind the door. Maddie fired at Vlad again, but, with a swirl of his cloak, he vanished and reappeared behind her. He grabbed her gun and smashed it to pieces. Jazz spun on the spot and shot at him, missing by inches. Maddie drew another gun and aimed. Plasmius vanished again and appeared by the table, seemingalready tiredof the game.

Plasmius reached for the thermos, but an expert shot from Maddie knocked it off the table and sent it spinning across the floor. Jazz dove for it, but a ghost ray from Vlad sent her crashing into the wall. Jack shot a stream of ammunition at the ghost. Plasmius multiplied four copies of himself. Jazz was back on her feet and running, flat-out to get to the thermos first. One of the clones came down on Jack, and another lifted Jazz off the ground and threw her across the room like a rag doll. She came to rest at the foot of the wall closest to Danny and didn't move again.

"Jazz!" hissed Danny from his prison, hoping that she was okay. Tucker started to rush over to her, but the copy shocked him with pinkish electrical energy from his hands. Maddie attempted to get the thermos, but another duplicate picked her up gently and prevented her from her task, holding her, struggling fiercely, several feet from the floor. Valerie was locked in battle with the last clone, so it was up to Sam to get the container. She hobbled towards it, but was thwarted before she could reach it by the real Plasmius. He knocked her to the floor and she pulled her ecto-gun on him. Taken by surprise, he didn't dodge the shot.

Another shot burst from the gun, but this time he was ready and put up and ecto-shield. The blast ricocheted off his shield and hit Sam in the face.

Plasmius flew past her and scooped up the thermos from off the floor. Jazz still hadn't stirred. Plasmius pressed the release and the thermos burst open.

"No!" Danny and Sam screamed. But it was too late. The green light grew brighter and more intense. Despite that, it felt darker than ever. Danny's blood ran cold as he heard the chilling laugh that he had prayed he would never hear again. Dark Danny was free.

**A/N; Muwhahahahahahahahahahahahaha--cough cough hack cough choke--Ahem. Hahahahahahahahahahahah!**


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**IlovTrunks16****: Wow, thanks. What an awesome compliment. Here's the last chapter, I hope you enjoy!  
****Kirstyn.T****: Yeah, sleep is good--right now I can't, so I write fanfiction. YAY!  
****pottersparky****: I love your reviews--they're always so nice and long! I didn't end Vlad like you suggested, but he is at the mercy of any other ghosts who should happen to feel like wasting him--but read to see.  
****Frodo01228****: Oh, but cliffies be the most awesome cruelty a fanfic writer can bestow on her (or his) readers!  
****Spiffy McFloogan****: Totally like the non-giddy girlish scream I made when I saw "Reality Trips". Uh-huh...  
****I Brake For Ghosts****: Hey, I like rambling! And I agree--SHE WAS SOOO CLOSE IN "RIEGN STORM"! Painfully close! (And in "Masters of Time" too.  
****Jessica01****: Sorry, but...what?  
****Mina-chan AMD****: Sorry for such a long wait, but here it is...the last chapter. (tear)  
****GoGoJirachi****: Yeah, but he's got his whole family this time, see?  
****Ness Lupin****: Ten brownie points to you for hitting on a millisecond event!  
****Writer's-BlockDP****; Don't worry, no more cliffies--last chapter.  
****crazyvi****: They can't get much more injured.  
****The Sleep Warrior****: Thanks for the suggestion. I tried. Hope you like it.  
****My Eternal Facade****: Cliffies are my evil speciality. (cackles evilly)  
****Crazy Billie Joe Loving Fre...****:Oo. Wall. Hehe, inside joke.  
****katiesparks****: Yes, and I worked really hard to make the fight scene good, but it's still not perfect. Hopefully, you'll like it anyways.  
****werewulf****: Is intenser even a word? Hahah.  
****xheartkreuzx****: You seem to be vocalizing everyone else's thoughts.  
****Inumaru12****: Yay, glad you like. (is hyper)  
****DanPhantom****: would you believe I've seen every episode of Danny Phantom EXCEPT with King Tuck! It's rather annoying.**

A/N: Dum dum dum! And on to chapter nineteen! SHOWDOWN TIME! Whoa, I need to lay off the caffeine. Anyway…

Chapter Nineteen

Everyone froze. Even Vlad and his clones, all watching as the most nefarious ghost of all time materialized in front of them. Danny watched, horrified as the red-eyed Phantom scanned the room, taking in the scene. Then a malicious smile crossed his pale lips and everyone in the room seemed to shiver involuntarily. Just the mere presence of the ghost shocked and frightened them.

Observing from his prison, Danny saw fear flit across Vlad's face. He knew now, unfortunately far too late, exactly what he was dealing with. The evil ghost's eyes met Danny's and he smirked. Danny scowled, but inside he was terrified. He was going to have to watch his family attempt to battle Dark Danny and be completely incapable of helping them.

"What a nice reunion." said the ghost and Danny felt his goose bumps creep up his arms. "But, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut it short." He blasted the unprepared Plasmius with a ghost ray and he smashed into the wall. He sank to the floor with a groan of pain, going back to human form and dropping the thermos. It rolled across the floor and everyone else watched its progress with bated breath. Tucker started towards it, but he hadn't taken two steps before Dark Danny hit him with a huge ball of ghost energy. Tucker skidded across the floor, still standing and doubled over, dropping to his knees.

Maddie fired a round of ectoplasmic shots at the spirit, but he knocked the blaster carelessly out of her hands and swatted her into Vlad, who was just coming to.

"Maddie! Are you alright!" cried Jack and Vlad in unison. She didn't respond, completely out cold. Danny rammed his shoulder against the door, determined to escape the cell. Still, it didn't yield. He shouted in frustration. Danny didn't think he could bear watching his evil future-self take out his entire family and do nothing. He stuck his head up and peered out the window again and saw that his sister was finally regaining consciousness. She sat up, a bewildered look on her face, but, luckily, Dark Danny didn't notice.

"Danny!" she hissed, quicklyassessing the situation. "Hang on, I'll get you out!" She pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and started to pick the lock.

Meanwhile, Valerie was shooting at the ghost, trying to get past his ghost shield. A cord of ghost energy wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides and sent her spinning into Jazz. Both girls collapsed in a heap in front of the door, the lock still not completely picked.

Now only Sam, Vlad and Jack were left to face off with Dark Danny. Jack swung a Jack-O-Nine-Tails at him, missed, and nearly roped Vlad instead. Plasmius scowled at him and Dark Danny laughed. The teenage Danny, viewing all this from behind the bars noticed that Sam was creeping on tiptoe toward the dented thermos as Vlad and his least favorite person ever worked together to distract Dark Danny.

Sam stretched out her arm and tried to pick up the thermos without making noise. Unfortunately, Dark Danny spotted her reflection in the glass that kept Danny's Phantom half confined. He spun around and grabbed her by the wrist, lifting off the ground and bringing her to his eye level. Sam looked away from his red eyes,actually scaredand struggled to get free.

"Sam," said the ghost. "Did you really think that you could fool me?" She didn't answer or look at him. "It's too bad," he continued, forming a ghost ray with his free hand. "You might have made a good villain, yourself."

"Sam!" yelped Danny, rattling the bars. "No!"

Then, the strangest thing happened. Dark Danny's eyes flickered green for a split second and he dropped Sam to the floor. She landed painfully on her broken ankle and fell to her knees. Suddenly, Dark Danny's eyes changed back and he lunged at her. A burst of electrical ghost energy went through Sam and she went limp.

"Leave her ALONE!" roared Danny. In the glass tank, Danny Phantom's eyes flew open and he yelled in unison with his Danny Fenton half, only his cry can out as a ghostly wail. The glass shattered and everyone crashed into the opposite wall, even Dark Danny.

Danny Phantom unlocked the cell and fused back together with his human half. Danny flew over and snatched up the thermos and pressed the button, sucking up Dark Danny for a second time. The ghost struggled and schreeched, but all to no avail. Danny clapped the lid on the thermos and Dark Danny was defeatedonce again.Danny flew to Sam's side and turned human again. Everyone else had come around and Jazz and Tucker came over, supporting Valerie between them. Jack helped his wife to her feet, Vlad even came closer, and they all formed a circle around Sam and Danny.

"Sam?" Danny whispered. She didn't respond; she didn't even appear to be breathing. "Sam!"

"Danny, honey." said Maddie gently, touching his shoulder. But he ignored her, squeezing Sam's hand. His eyes burned with unshed tears.

"Sam, wake up!" he begged. "Please! You have to!" Still, she didn't move. Valerie gave an involuntary sob and buried her face in Tucker's shoulder. He held her close, trying to calm her down.

"Sam, you can't die!"Danny murmured. "I--I love you."

Everyone was quiet for a long moment. Even Vlad didn't have any comments to make. Danny sat motionless, with Sam's head cradled in his arms.

Suddenly, Sam's eyes flickered open. She moaned and brought a hand to her face. Danny opened his own eyes and his whole face lit up. He threw his arms around Sam's neck and hugged her like he hadn't seen her for years.

"Oh God, Sam!" he cried. "You're alive!"

"Yeah," she said. "Now can you, um, let go of me? My neck is killing me."

"Sorry!" Danny exclaimed, releasing her, a pinkish color creeping into his pale cheeks. Sam's face reddened too, but she looked him resolutely in the eyes.

"Danny, did you mean what you justsaid?" she whispered. He looked up into her violet eyes. The pair appeared to have forgotten everyone else in the room.

"What'd I say?"

"Well," Sam said, leaning towards him. "If you did…" She kissed him lightly and started to pull away. But Danny stopped her, kissing her in return.

"Ahem!" Jazz said pointedly. They broke apart and looked up at the group around them. Both faces flushed, but they stood up, determined to hide their embarrassment. Everyone suddenly seemed to remember why they were their and rounded on Vlad.

"Ah!" he said. 'Now then, I'm sorry about all this. What do you say, Daniel? Bygones?"

_Clang!_ "Oh, yeah," Danny replied, locking Vlad in the cell. "Definitely bygones."

"Let's get out of here!" suggested Jack. He and Maddie both looked at their son and smiled proudly. Danny smiled back and pressed Sam's hand.

"Yeah," he grinned, feeling freer than he could ever remember. "Let's go home."

**A/N: Well, that's the end. I'm gonna miss this story. But, thanks to all you guys who reviewed and kept me going the whole time. And thanks in advance for reviews on this chapter. Please keep and eye out for Blessing and Curse, my next Danny Phantom fic and updates on the Oneshot Cinema. Till then, ciao!**


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